21

[Anastasia]

It is time. The ritual is ready and the six of you are here. The patterns are laid and the magic is prepared. When the final words are uttered, nothing happens...

...

...

Until a blank white portal appears, silent and motionless. Like a tiny tear in reality, nothing less and nothing more.

[Nephrite]

Will this be something like Beyond, but within Creation's rules?

Perhaps, like that dragon they met within Io's maze?

How big is this place? Is it infinite? Will Sylvie just... be there?

Moore steels himself for what's ahead and will let Seira lead the way, as she's had the most experience in this field.

[Corwin]

Seira ties the six of them with telepathic links, in case talking wouldn't be possible over there, and then leads the way in!

[Corwin]

The following spells are on Seira

Spoiler: ShowHide

All spells here are to be precast before leaving home [CL 35].

Overall: Glorious Rally, Celestial Valor, Ghost Touch (Armor, Shield and Weapons), Recitation (per round spell)
Defensive: Shield of Warding, Foresight, Visions of the Future, Dragonskin, Foresight, Superior Vigor (per round spell)
Perception Modes and Protections: True Seeing, Sensual Blessing, Vision of the Omniscient Eye, Detect Scrying, Greater Arcane Sight
Movement Modes and Protections: Freedom of Movement, Pass Without Trace, Greater Anticipate Teleport
Skill Checks: Bibliotheca Arcana, Surge of Hope, Voice of the Dragon
Ability Checks: Surge of Hope
Immunities and Resistances: Mind Blank, Nondetection, Mass Death Ward, Heroes's Feast, Energy Res 30 (all)
Esoteric Boosters: Many Moments of Prescience, Moment of Prescience, Fortunate Fate, Spell Turning, Telepathic Bond

Chain Dispell channeled into Dragon's Grace, Keen Edge cast on Dragon's Grace, Crystalvein weapons, Golden Greatsword and natural weapons

One-Off Spells: Sign (+4), Divine Insight (1hr/level, +15 insight), Greater Improvisation (10min/level, CLx3 luck points)

[Anastasia]

Seira leads the way, Amaryl right behind her. Ranbar follows while Kascha stays with Moore and Xandra. Thus all of you step in and - !

It's the sound of the tides that lulls you.

You stand on a beach, a beach where endless expanses stretch ahead in both directions. No sign of a shore beyond beach, and the ocean itself is one vast, blue-white mass that constantly laps and froths against the shoreline. Yet as it comes close it becomes less white, pushed and purged away, turning to blue water that harmlessly licks against the shoreline.

It is flat here, no sign of a mountain unlike Celestia. Simply endless beaches and endless ocean.

Her voice. Sylvie's voice, coming from afar.

Are you surprised?

Don't be. Your minds collectively chose this.

All of our choices matter so much. It doesn't matter if we don't appreciate how important each one is.

Look.

The far northern horizon, far down the beach, far and far and farther yet? It becomes radiant with a distant light - a light that brings a chill to Seira's bones, as Kascha cries out and shields her face with her arms, while Amaryl shivers. The light of 21 shines as bright as a new risen sun.

The divine is not safe here. Death here will be your final death, be you immortal, mortal or divine. If this is acceptable to you, continue forward.

But you won't turn back, will you, Moore?

I said we'd meet again before the end, and so it will happen.

What are we but holy martyrs for all of Creation?

You know this great crusade won't end well for any of us.

May it at least end well for Creation through our tears and blood.

[Nephrite]

A beach, is it?

He barely has time to look around and understand before his attention is snapped forward.

He listens.

Then he shakes his head. "It's good to see you too, Sylvie. I made a promise and I'm going to keep it - we're bringing you home, through hell or high water." It isn't a threat. There is no malice there. It's a promise — a promise months and years and eons coming.

"We will show you the power that overcomes all - the power even 21 can't beat - Hope."

[Anastasia]

A snap. A shift.

Hope.

Is that really the virtue that will triumph over all others?

"What?" Amaryl says, arrow and bow readied at that shift. She gazes around as nothing else seems to change, yet things feel different.

"We hope for a better tomorrow, free of Shar." Xandra calls back. "That is enough."

Kascha slowly lowers her arms, "What else could it be? We all want a better Creation."

[Nephrite]

"Triumph... I think that's the wrong word. I think hope exists along with everything else. I think hope can't exist by itself... so if hope is triumphant, then that means perseverance, will, striving for a better tomorrow.. those go right along with it."

Moore takes a breath. "I bet you hope, too, don't you? 21 is a battle for a soul, after all. I can only speak for myself, but bringing hope to Creation is my Answer." Moore says.

[Corwin]

You know, it's funny. Hope is something we all can get behind. In fact, some of us literally stand for it.

Where are you, exactly? I've got plenty of complaints to you about the way you've lived your life, and the idea of physical therapy appeals. We can discuss why you're wrong about our sad, sad eventual fate afterwards.

[Anastasia]

Then come forward. You'll find me eventually.

Sylvie's voice, but different this time.

[Corwin]

Right, then. We're headed into the white water.

But not on foot, of course, there's no point in getting wet. Seira flies out above the sea.

[Nephrite]

A battle for a soul, hm?

Then it's a battle they will win.

Just hold on, Sylvie...

Moore follows Seiras lead!

[Anastasia]

The party flies on. Yet when you reach the storeline, you find you're unable to advance into the ocean. An unseen force stops you cold.

[Corwin]

Seira experimentally drops her flight and tries to step onto the water, and if that fails, into them.

[Anastasia]

No good, none of that allows you to advance forward.

"It's a solid barrier, but I don't see anything, even with true seeing," Ranbar murmurs, "It feels hard as a wall of force."

"Perhaps we head to the light of 21 instead of over the waters?" Kascha offers, looking further up the beach.

As this happens, a large patch of white comes your way - !!!!

One hundred laughs join the gentle flute. Onward, onward, onward, onward, onward, onward, onward.

The flutes and the hands all unite together in the citadel that stands tall over the abyss that stretches to tomorrow and when yesterday reaches the zenith of the mountain you find the flutes all the flutes together and the laughs are coming from them all the happiness and the sorrows together in a great pile and they all loop back to the HANDS -

It is a thing. The white is a thing of hands and flutes and laughs. It has no shape and yet menaces, resisting and passing through the barrier, coming at the party.

Will save, all.

Init as well.