A return home

[Anastasia]

"Still, Bel could choose not to participate and flee. It's happened before," Antenora points out, giving you a sidelong look. "You'd think Asmodeus would sweeten it somehow to ensure compliance."

"There are former Lords," Zariel speaks at this moment, "Tiamat was once Lord of the First, though that parting was forced by planar politics."

[Ebiris]

"I'm sure he has incentives to offer," she agrees with Antenora before looking at Zariel. "Tiamat was the Lord of Avernus directly before you?"

[Anastasia]

"She was not," Zariel says, "It was longer ago, a matter of politics as two sets of duties were too much and conflicting."

[Ebiris]

"Ah," she nods at being corrected. "There's quite a lot of turnover on Avernus compared to the others, isn't there?"

[Anastasia]

"It is a realm of war," Zariel's voice is bitter, sour, "How many sacrifices have to be offered to the maw of war?"

"Too many," Antenora replies right away.

"Too many," Zariel says, voice tight and tense, "How long has Lixer been prepared for this, the other Lords merely stepping stones for him?"

[Ebiris]

"It is interesting, since he got involved in the battles for Lifasa and fared little better than Bel. Hardly the sort of performance that would merit a reward," Alicia says. "Still though, I think we've wandered far from the point. We're not here to belabour hellish politicking." She stands up and goes to pat the rough bark of a nearby tree.

"I sometimes miss mortal frailties and the challenges they necessitate overcoming. Needing to forage or hunt for food, find safe water, build shelter. It inspires creativity and it's satisfying to get along in the wild with nothing but your own resourcefulness."

[Anastasia]

"To stand amid the wild, part of it instead of anything else," Zariel's voice softens, "Simplicity. Peace."

Antenora keeps quiet here, though something makes Syala smile, which she hides with a discreet cough.

[Ebiris]

"I suppose if all you have is the same solitary tree for hundreds of years it gets a bit stale," she glances at Syala. "Still though, as celestials we don't need to worry about the details of surviving no matter where we are. I remember once Antenora considered going through an ascetic phase and I mentioned that, how an outsider's lack of bodily requirements makes it easy for them to cut themselves off from the rest of the world. A mortal hermit still has to seek food and water, and in doing so engage with the world around them more directly."

[Anastasia]

"We're closer to islands like this. Closer to being One," Antenora's eyes widen at that, giving you a sudden and rather sharp look.

"Closer to being ourselves, unbound by weakness," Zariel says.

[Ebiris]

"Hmmm," she hums, looking back at Antenora and nodding. "There's an interesting link there. And yes, our truest self is best expressed alone. We all have to moderate or present ourselves in certain ways when among others, so as to engender cooperation, or simply achieve a certain result from the social exchange. Yet for some that is just them doing as they do - Antenora is whether she's alone or among friends. Yet even Asmodeus must sometimes present a false mask of civility and warmth to push others into doing his bidding."

[Anastasia]

"The only ones that do not are the Incarnations, for they are so powerful as to be beyond that," Antenora's voice is reflective, thoughtful.

"Still, this forest...it is a good forest," Zariel says, "Sitting here, I can almost remember better days before it all went wrong."

[Ebiris]

"It is," Alicia agrees with Zariel. "Why don't you take some time to explore and appreciate it by yourself, without us crowding you?"

[Anastasia]

Zariel rises to go do that and from there...

NExt move, Alicia?

[Ebiris]

I'll see if Latha got any interesting knowledge from Emmaline.

[Anastasia]

You find Emmaline and Latha together, in a private little garden tucked into Liberton. Emmaline is asleep against Latha, face placid and restful. Latha merely rubs her shoulder slowly, murmuring to her in Celestial, "Rest, rest, rest," she repeats, a soothing mantra.