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[Ebiris]

"Consider it carefully, both of you," Alicia looks over Jessica and Latha. "If neither or both of you desire it, we will have to think about what to do, but if only one of you wishes it that simplifies things. Sleep on it, talk to others. This subject you can talk about with those you trust, though I'd still prefer it not spread wide."

[Anastasia]

Latha rises. "Thank you," she says, voice rich. "I will do that."

Once Latha is gone, Jessica rises as well. "I need to talk about this part with Roald. It IS safe to talk about, right?"

[Ebiris]

"Nothing about Ao, but you can talk about ascending," Alicia nods. "Io would prefer his name not spread, and similarly I don't want our access to that divine seed known so be circumspect please."

[Anastasia]

Thus, it is the three of you. A silence of consideration before Syala speaks up.

"Well, marrying you has never been boring, is it?" It's said with a smile, "It's sobering. To face a battle lest we be cast aside as a child casts aside a toy he has grown tired of. What sort of creatures are these Incarnations to act with such casual monstrosity? Do we not have a right to exist?"

[Ebiris]

"We never did," she shakes her head. "I've seen interactions in Mystra and Io's memories of their encounters with them. They're utterly indifferent to us. Tools is all we are, and if we don't perform our task they have no use for us. Perhaps Ao is simply impatient for an Answer and has decided there's no point in Creation with none forthcoming? The one hope I cling to is that the Arbiter is invested in our survival, and if he is not an Incarnation he's at least something very close."

[Anastasia]

"In that light, the only sane option is to become One or whole, and secure your right to exist," Antenora remarks quietly, "Yet the life of a creature wandering the Far Realm strikes me as madness and sorrow. Our Creation seems the anomaly, the exception, the merciful place."

"Then the Incarnations are wrong, and we'll fix that, one way or another," Syala says, "We have a right to exist, no matter what they think. If they care not for us, they can leave and let us be." Her tone is sour, expresssion growing thunderous, "Or let the Abyss have them."

"The problem is that it appears the Abyss may well have Ao," Antenora reaches out, taking Syala's hand. "Or at least his mindset is close enough to a demon to doom Creation, lest we save it."

[Ebiris]

"On the subject of the Abyss, apparently Pale Night is a creature of Beyond that the Incarnations trapped here," Alicia says. "I'm not really certain if that means her demonic nature is something forced on her by the role she was forced into or if it's her true self. It explains Sylian's interest in her, anyway."

[Anastasia]

"It also helps explain Sylian - or Myriad, as another named him," Antenora says, "I noticed something, Alicia. It was mentioned that the Incarnations take different names and guises. So does Sylian. It may be nothing, but he also whole, as the dragon put it. We don't know what Pale Night is or how strong it is, but she may be quite powerful. Powerful enough to help Sylian reach far higher than he should be able to."

[Ebiris]

"She's powerful as demon lords go, but it's possible she would be far more without the restrictions placed on her by the Incarnations," Alicia agrees. "She may be bound, but was it by their combined effort? Would she be a more even match for but one of them - and would we be risking a greater calamity by allowing it? Creatures of Beyond unravel Creation by their presence, if she were that strong she could bring the end as surely as Shar. So as far as I'm concerned, trying to free her is an act of absolute last resort when all other hope has been lost."

[Anastasia]

Arms crossed and with a thoughtful expression, "If nothing else, this answers some questions we had. But why is it answers always lead to more questions? No wonder they haven't found their damn Answer yet, they even hit good and evil as a complication."

Antenora cracks a smile at that, squeezing Syala's hand and letting go as she crosses her arms.

[Ebiris]

"Things did go off track right from the start, didn't they?" Alicia agrees, sighing. "Anyway, that's where we're at. Moore's hopeful 21 will prove important if it's found... if nothing else it would certainly be effective against Shar. There's also some sort of ritual Calley provided the basis for but it's like assembling a jigsaw puzzle without the guide picture, we don't even know what it'll do once complete, or if our pieces match the intention."

[Anastasia]

"In the meantime, there's still that war with the efreet," Antenora says, "Are we going to hold the course there and see how it develops?"

[Ebiris]

"Yes, Seira hasn't asked for aid and I'm hopeful we can keep more off her back by staying poised than if we're already committed," Alicia confirms. "We have to prepare our expedition to Daun anyway, and I'll monitor the Crimson Guard's move on that Sharran hideout through Marie."

[Anastasia]

"Soon on that," Antenora says, rather thoughtful. "But after that, a moment's respite may be nice. Perhaps go play with Martin?" Antenora suggests. "I'm going to go get some of Roald's bread and snacks and spend some time pondering everything."

At the same time, you sense it. The man before it is a slightly plump merchant, wearing fine if worn clothes. A familiar figure, for his unholy symbol of Shar hangs from his neck openly. You recall his desecration of one of your roadside shrines and your own curse of truthfulness on him. A cruel smile is on his face, both hands forcing a dagger down. A whispered prayer to you in the defender's heart as he lays on his inn bed, desperately holding the knife back.

The man who whispered the prayer is not one of yours - his name is Hammon. You know not why in that moment he appealed to you, but in that blurry moment where all is action and life hangs in the balance, he reached out to you.

[Ebiris]

"I'll occupy myself," Alicia reassures Antenora as she examines the source of this prayer, looking for anyone nearby in that inn who might be in a position to help if prodded.