It's a road that never ends (Jaela)

[Anastasia]

Finding Ellese isn't hard. She's at the memorial. She's watching Muirfinn and Lief's images, sitting cross legged on the ground. She looks to be lost in thought, eyes far away as she studies the two lost comrades.

[Corwin]

"Mind some company?" Jaela asks, joining Ellese. Has it only been a few days? It really shouldn't feel like an accepted reality, not this quickly.

[Anastasia]

"Yes...no." Ellese begins then stops. "I'd like some company, even if the voices disagreed." A thin, wan smile graces her face. "In ways I'm not sure I even knew I heard at times. It's like a subtle poison, you don't notice until the damage is done."

[Corwin]

"That's why I went looking for you," Jaela admits. "That sort of subtle influence is best dealt with directly, and if you're okay with it we should give it a try. We really should have tried much earlier, but you know better than anyone why it's hard."

[Anastasia]

"I wouldn't be ready," Ellese admits. She reaches out, fingers going through the images of Muirfinn and Lief. "I had one of my breakthroughs with Muirfinn, you know. He deserves better...the voices whisper about him, sometimes. Mocking me, telling me how he suffers."

[Corwin]

"You can make it your drive, you know?" Jaela muses, watching the image disrupted by Ellese's gesture before it resumes projecting before them. "Getting him back. When there's a difficult task ahead, having a clear reason for doing it and keeping at it no matter how long it takes... that helps. It helps a lot. And anything that cuts away at that, like tiny voices that whisper doubt in your ear, they become a very clear enemy to defeat."

[Anastasia]

That draws out a hollow laugh, Ellese closing her eyes tight. "Tiny voices. If only it were that simple. I can resist them, ignore them now, but they are far from tiny. It is already my drive, since the alternative is to submit. To join in with those who do the unspeakable to our friends. To become another cog who takes cold comfort by being part of something horrifyingly greater than a single person."

[Corwin]

"Maybe it is that simple? If it's foreign influence that gets through despite our magical protections, we'll route them out one by one. If it's your own personality, your fears, doubts and weaknesses fighting against you, we can attack them and seek to defeat them in detail." Jaela shrugs. "Not that you need to abandon your current methods, since they're getting you ahead. But we could supplement them, too. My first idea was to ask the Triune for a lead on this, if you were willing."

[Anastasia]

Ellese quickly turns to Jaela and says, "Yes," with a smile rapidly growing on her face. "Before...before I wasn't ready. I wasn't prepared or strong enough. Now I feel I am."

[Corwin]

Evil is evil, whether mystically imprinted on an object or a person. They keep on treating the cases differently and usually it makes sense, but Jaela can't help but wonder whether the same mechanism that relies on a deity's power and the person's strength to purify and exorcise evil couldn't be applied to many of Ellese's problems as well.

"Let's make a stop at the temple to the Triune, then?" she offers. "If we meditate on our next move while focused on the same goal, I'm sure a way ahead will be revealed. Besides, that sort of meditation helped me throw off Abigor's residual influence, so I know how to guide you through it."

[Anastasia]

"Let us," Ellese says, as the two relocate there.

The Temple of the Triune is quiet right now. Priest is out - probably with Kascha, Jaela knows - and only a few people are here. Notably, Mei is, in silent meditation before the altar.

[Corwin]

It's really hard for her to let go and give others a chance to mother Kascha, but Jaela forces her mind off that thought. "Hey, Mei," she greets her upon approach, quietly enough not to disturb the meditations if they're deep enough.

Ellese she instructs to get comfortable, saying, "I meditated on what makes me, me. What I stand for, what I think best fits my definition of Jaela. It really helped put all that didn't fit in stark contrast to the core of what defines me." She gestures at the altar with a smile, adding, "While you do that, I'll be seeking the Triune's guidance. Even though powerful cleansing magic exists, our own actions and experiences can be a pretty powerful component."

[Anastasia]

Mei looks up and smiles at Jaela. Meanwhile, Ellese follows and murmurs agreement, before closing her eyes and going to try and meditate. As Ellese slips into that, Mei comes up from behind Jaela. She wraps her arms around her, a light hug.

[Corwin]

"Friendly!" Jaela reaches up to pat Mei's hand. "So this might sound strange, but have you ever visited Balmuria?"

[Anastasia]

Mei slowly shakes her head. She then looks to Ellese, putting a finger over her own lips.