Wrap up (Various)

[Anastasia]

Sylvie looks about to all of you, "None of us understand infinity. We grasp the concept in an intellectual sense, but we don't get it. Can't." She takes a seat, "As we all saw, our minds aren't equipped for it. Deities can, I'm sure of it now. There's been circumstantial evidence before, but that river finishes off any doubt. So understanding all that happened there is beyond us, parts of it are impossible for us."

She steeples her hands together, leaning forward, "Unless you have 21. Afina, do you remember our trip to the Far Realm? Do you remember what happened immediately afterwards?"

[Ebiris]

"Immediately afterwards when we suffered massive internal trauma from the changes our bodies had undergone while there? Or a little after when you had some profound realisation about time that let you tell lies?" Afina asks. It was a busy day!

[Anastasia]

"Both," Sylvie says, "Mostly the second, but the first is first. The headaches and agony we felt when we saw the river for what it was? I think it was in part some of the same as the Far Realm. Something we aren't equipped to deal with, like infinity. Except...21 can." Sylvie shakes her head slowly, "21's far more capable. I try to remember, to glance at what we saw, and 21 responds. It hurts."

Sylvie bows her head, "The Styx is infinite, and he took an infinite part of it to make another infinite loop. It's like the outer planes, forever and ever without end. We had no chance to do anything about it without 21. The work of a deity using infinity is something beyond our power. Beyond any but the divine. What we understand of 21 is the barest tip of it. It's so much more. It may not have any limits except what the holder can coax from it. I-" She stops and rubs her head, breathing ragged.

"Bear with me. We shattered the infinite loop. 21 can even outdo infinity. Don't know how. Makes my head hurt to think much about. The Incarnations and what they make aren't linear, that's probably tied to it. They're beyond linear things, like a teacher is above her students. What's happening there is ugly. Broken. The infinity loop is broken so it's finite again, at least until Asmodeus fixes it. I think he will, if he hasn't already."

With a great shudder, Sylvie starts to cry. "I can't stop it! There's so much MORE to 21 and I can't stop. I don't want to. Infinity is so beautiful, so perfect. I want to understand it. It hurts but I can't stop. We're so stupid to think we can use 21 freely, and so damned that we have to stick with it as our greatest trump card. If I keep looking and see something like that again, or the Far Realm or...I'm not sure what will happen, but it will be terrible. Will I break or will I understand it? With 21, I don't know. If I understand it, will I still be me? I don't know."

[Corwin]

Jaela just sits there in shock, before shrugging weakly. "I think you'll still be you? You're still you after you transitioned from mortal. And even though you cheated there, I happen to be an expert on the subject. It takes a certain understanding and mental breakthrough to advance, but you're still you at the core. That's just how it works."

[Ebiris]

"Back up a little," Afina says. "Infinity I can understand - most of the planes are infinite. The river Styx has to be infinite if any one of the planes it goes through are infinite, that only makes sense. And if one of those planes is in Hell then yes, Asmodeus has control over an infinitely long section of the river. He's a God with absolute control over his plane, that all stands to reason. But the Ethereal plane isn't his plane. Diverting some runoff from his river there fine, but actually getting control over an infinite section of the ethereal... isn't that a massive power play?"

[Corwin]

"And one of the reasons I wanted you here," Jaela tells Morniel with a nod of her head, happy for the diversion.

[Iron Dragoon]

"It is. And I'm betting that's what led Hanna to believe our fight was, essentially, just a symptom of a larger conflict. If that is a case, it can also explain why, even after we've dealt blows to Lixer and his ilk, they're essentially ignoring us. We're biting flies on the back of a charging bull, I'm guessing?"

[Anastasia]

Morniel nods and comes over, laying a hand on Sylvie's shoulder. This seems to calm her, tears stopping. A little of her magic cleans herself up, "Sorry. It's been a long day." She breathes in and out slowly for several moments, "The Deep Ethereal, near as I can tell, is largely open territory. Ethereal's tied to the Prime, but the Deep Ethereal is really more of its own thing. I wouldn't be surprised if other forces have things there and it explains why Lethe is protected by anathemic knowledge. What better way to hide something like that by making sure no one remembers it?"

As Sylvie recovers, Morniel agrees. "The Deep Ethereal has ties to dreams and memories in some manner. It was where Medi hid Medicant, able to secure it away for ages. To say it is a place we do not understand is apt, so I was troubled by this battle's revelations. To assuage this, I sought guidance from Celestia," he says, a nod to Moore, "My answer was thus: Both the river Oceanus and Styx flow through the Deep Ethereal. I intend to meditate on this revelation and reveal the wisdom from this revelation, for I feel there is much there and may be beyond first impressions."

Adrian frowns, "The hell? The Styx stays to the lower planes and Oceanus to the heavens. Is it saying that both sides have redirected the rivers there?"

"Perhaps, but I caution against leaping to the most obvious conclusion." Morniel firmly shakes his head, "It may be something less literal, or in a way we don't immediately grasp, or that it is metaphor for the mortal state or dreams. It may be something we need not concern ourselves with, and indeed, we have lost sight of our triumphs. Lief is saved and the attack on Aurora's fey is lifted. We have struck another blow against Hell. My friends," He gestures to all of you with a sweep of his arm, "We have moved forward again. Reflect on the wisdom granted to us, but do not lose sight of our victories amid that."

Morniel looks to each of you, meeting your eyes for several moments before going to the next. After doing that to all, "We have avenged a terrible wrong and freed a champion to his rightful reward. We have fought the good fight once again, and as a weary traveler who reaches to the glory of Chronias, we are renewed. Let us celebrate."

[Ebiris]

"And one more traitor to Lifasa languishes in our dungeons," Afina adds with some satisfaction.

[Corwin]

"Ah, about that." Jaela coughs. "This will bring everyone down again, so I'm sorry in advance. But I wanted to bring up Muirfinn." Pursing her lips, she goes on to say, "We have friendly contacts with Auril and Vlaakith, and with neutral parties like the Mercane. If we were to use an intermediary to bargain for him, what are we willing to pay in exchange?"

[Ebiris]

"Offer up Yian?" Afina suggests, making a face. They've gotten good information out of him but Willah will have far more current knowledge. It would be a way to gauge how valuable the traitors are to Hell, and they could probably get him back whenever they felt like.

[Anastasia]

"We'll drink to that once this meeting's over," Adrian grins, "Cheers to that and may she rot."

"Diplomacy would matter," Morniel says, "What can we afford to part with? I fear that whatever it is, it would be no trifling thing."

[Corwin]

Jaela nods. "It's a possibility. But I was thinking that Vlaakith has sought closer ties for a while now, and might have her own favors with the devils to burn. And if she comes through for us, we won't be handing over our own prisoners but providing a service she might find valuable."

[Anastasia]

"How about we figure out who will do it first then decide on what we'll ply them with?" Adrian says, "I'm not optimistic it'll work, but why not try?"

[Corwin]

"My preference is obvious, and it's something I think you could handle, Morniel. With whatever help you need from the rest of us, of course. How about the rest of you?"