245.1 Seira

[Corwin]

[21:55] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> A little later, Donald, Amaryl and Seira head home. The streets are busy, the memories of the dead walking seeming very far away now. As you head towards Seira's inn Amaryl is quiet. But Donald..."You know," he says out loud, checking his arms, "I'm not starting ot sprout white feathers or anything now, am I?"
01[21:56] <Seira> "...no," Seira drawls out, giving Donald a confused glance. "Does it feel like you're sprouting feathers in any color?"
[22:00] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "I dunno. Jessica sprouted wings. I wonder if it's catching." Donald hits his hand against his breastplate, "Say Seira, what about you? Going to add angel to your impressive diversity?"
01[22:04] <Seira> "Is it really that impressive? There's mom and dad, and all that they brought me into the world with, and then there's me, my own achievements here. Please don't make me sound like some chimera. On a more practical note, the dragon blood is too strong to be compatible with fey, but who knows about celestial ties?"
01[22:04] <Seira> And then Seira feels the need to tug on the closest of Donald's wings to her. "Speaking of feathers. Might be too late."
[22:05] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "OW!" Donald glares at Seira, jerking back, "Those are sensitive, you know!" As you walk along you reach home, Donald stopping outside. "You two wanna go back and have some time to yourselves? I was going to get something to eat out front."
06[22:06] * Seira smirks. "I think we'll keep you in suspense." Her expression softens as she places a hand on his shoulder. "You did good today. I didn't expect anything less, but it still needs to be said."
[22:08] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Oh yeah, I know." Donald grins now, taking off his helmet and placing it under his arm. He shakes his sweaty hair free in the cold winter wind, "Kicked ass and inspired fear in paragons of evil. Just another day for us."
01[22:12] <Seira> "We altered basic facts on a cosmic level. It's a little more than that," Seira chides him, before she grins suddenly. "If you can't find a nice girl to settle down with after all this, you are truly beyond help!"
[22:22] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Raising his voice to a high pitch, "But it's too soon! I'm not even 200 yet! Egads!" Laughing now, Donald heads in. "I'm going to go rest. See you, Seira."
06[22:22] * Seira gives him a wave, before directing all of her attention to Amaryl. "The light, the battle, Celebrimbor or just everything put together?"
[22:24] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "And then some." Amaryl murmurs, "Can we go to our room before we talk?"
01[22:24] <Seira> It's certainly a sensible request, and Seira has no problem with it whatsoever.
[22:26] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Once back, Amaryl sits down in a soft, deep chair, looking out the window. It's cold and dim, night coming. "Every time I think of that...that...woman, I want to be sick. Those child-" Amaryl holds her mouth, shuddering.
01[22:28] <Seira> "It's not an easy thing to deal with," Seira says heavily. "But I was able to focus, because I wholeheartedly believe that destroying her gave us a chance to save those very children. I think we did it. Not just release those trapped, but managed to help those tortured as well. Think of that if you reflect on it all."
[22:30] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "It heartens me, but yet..." Amaryl breathes in and out, dropping her hands. "By Waukeen, let us never go to the Abyss again. Everything there was a nightmare."
01[22:32] <Seira> "I can't make that promise," Seira admits with a wince. "There is still Gurlan, and I both owe him my vengeance, and I gave my word to the dragons we met on the Astral plane that I would destroy him." She pauses. "But if you don't want to come along to Greenrot with me, I'm one of the few people who can truly understand why and wouldn't let it bother me."
[22:33] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "I...can I say that I don't want to think about that right now?" Wanly smiling up to Seira, "Why is there a place like that in existance? Why is there so much evil like thta?"
01[22:35] <Seira> "I couldn't say. If one was to blame, perhaps that Ao? There must be something in place, some set of rules that prevents our side from winning decisively, that prevents the gods from destroying their kind once and for all with their power."
[22:37] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Maybe. Maybe they can't...one book I read said that if one side had the power, they would win. Maybe it's because good and evil are divided by law and chaos." Amaryl shrugs as she gazes out the darkening window. "Maybe it's just the way the universe is. But I don't like any of those answers."
01[22:41] <Seira> "There is one answer I can give you," Seira says, deep in thought. "You may not like it, either, but.... Determination. Far too many either leave doing the right thing to others, or stray from their path. Perhaps they lack in commitment, perhaps in moderation. But when things align just right, the balance can be upset in a very profound way."
06[22:41] * Seira comes near Amaryl, hugging her from behind. "We've changed the world for the better today. If we keep at it, then one day, perhaps, another such blow will be dealt to evil. And another. And the end might even be in sight."
[22:43] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "An end. The End. It's what the scary prohecies of religion talk about." Amaryl sighs softly, leaning into Seira. "We've seen a lot of ends...many at our own hands. Wouldn't it be funny if we're the ones who do it? Wouldn't it?"
01[22:45] <Seira> "We certainly get plenty of chances," Seira agrees, before shaking her head. "But what I mean is a victory for our side. One so decisive that Hell and Abyss become merely abstract terms. It might be a goal beyond the impossible, but there's no harm in working towards making it happen."
[22:48] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Maybe. But for right now, I just want to dream. To dream of the day after tomorrow, of snow and sunshine. Isn't that a wonderful thought? To look out this window and watch the day go by in peace." Amaryl's eyes close shut, "Something to look forward to."
01[22:50] <Seira> "It's wonderful," Seira wholeheartedly agrees. "And if we get bored, or the weather isn't right, we should just pick a direction and travel there. Go towards the horizon, or teleport towards a place we have only read about. A quiet, happy way to pass the time."
[22:51] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Somewhere in the world..." Amaryl murmurs, "There's an ancient legend I remember. Do you remember an old childhood story about the garden of the Gods?"
06[22:52] * Seira begins to recall it... before she shakes her head once more. "Tell me about it?" she requests instead.
[22:54] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "There's an old, old story an ancient bard wrote. That beyond the sea, sky and ground there is a garden. It is a paradise, where the Gods come to enjoy all the wonders of the world." Smiling a little bit now, "Long, long, long ago the bard left to find it, never to be seen again. It's a fun story...and a metaphore, no?"
01[22:55] <Seira> "Yet somewhere out there, a real paradise fit for the gods exists, no doubt," Seira remarks with a smile of her own. "In fact, I am certain of it. Shall we make discovering it our goal, Amaryl?"
[22:56] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Taking Seira's hand and clasping them to her bosom, Amaryl closes her eyes again. "Yes. Let's chase that impossible dream past the sun and sky. Let's find where everything stops and go beyond it."
01[23:01] <Seira> "Going beyond the impossible? You're a girl after my own heart!" Seira agrees happily.
[23:03] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Until then...let's dream, Seira. Let's sit here and dream?" Amaryl gazes out the window, as the sun sinks below the horizon, the Bay of Sparkling Stars glittering with green-red light dancing on it's surface.