Landing at Hope

[Anastasia]

It is a quiet and subdued Jetina who goes with you as you return back to Hope's Landing. Forces are about but no sign of a battle as you return and...

Go ahead and refresh me on the efreet golem stuff, so we're both on the same page here?

[Nephrite]

From here: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,104239.msg1134133.html#msg1134133

If we were able to transport the golems back to Hope's Landing, the idea would be to get the souls out of them so they can do whatever souls do. Not sure if Celestia would have any desire for the golems themselves, or would want to try and awaken them or what have you. If not, we'll just get the supplies from breaking them down or just sell them.

There were books and scrolls and things that Moore was going to look through, but as was stated at the time it was going to take time to go through IC.

[Anastasia]

"We're finished with the golems," Xandra reports, "They will be liberated and converted to normal golems. We are welcome to claim one for Hope's Landing, if we wish to have one of them."

[Nephrite]

"Something about the spider golem doesn't sit right with me, so we'll just keep the stone golem." Moore says. "I need to go through his texts and things to find out if there's anything of any interest... anything else come up from there?"

[Anastasia]

"That's the main thing," Xandra says.

Okay, add note of the stone golem to somewhere relevant so it's not forgotten, Moore.

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "His other valuables can be dealt with by Celestia, we have no need to turn any of them in for anything." He says, then he takes a breath. "Can you get everyone together? We have a lot to talk about."

[Anastasia]

Xandra does just that, and...

Who do you want here?

[Nephrite]

Cresiel, Kaja, Jetina, Xandra. We'll go to Moore's room! It might be a tight fit, but we'll manage.

Wood can also come.

[Anastasia]

Getting everyone there is easy enough - except Wood, who is napping in a quiet corner and simply refuses to get up.

Thus you all gather in this quiet place, the room too full but manageable, a pixie sized room ill meant for a solar. Cresiel sits, head still rather close to the ceiling. Xandra and Jetina sit next to each other, while Kaja sits by the window, back resting against the foot of your bed.

Go ahead and set up here, expo pixie. Make Afina the expo pixie proud.

[Nephrite]

"My apologies for the tight space. I didn't think a trip to the Bridge of Al-Sihal was needed for this. Since this place is protected by Lord Zaphkiel, I can assume the same protections remain here in this room." Moore says.

He clears his throat. "I don't think I need to say this, but I will anyway: What I am about to say does not leave this room under any circumstances. I do not even know how much of this I should share with Lord Erathaol, thought I assume Lord Zaphkiel will inform him."

Another breath as he considers his words. He shuts his eyes for a moment, then opens them. "Jetina and I met with two others, Ladies Seira and Alicia -- I believe you are familiar with them both. They also have received the boon of strengthening bonds, like us. I learned of the identity of the two other groups that make up five, one is Alyssa, who I am not familiar with, but the other is an irrigo named Tryll who I met in Aurora."

He pauses for a moment before he continues. "I suppose that isn't really the important part. The important part is Jetina and I met Io. In the... flesh, I suppose, if you could call it that. He gave us more information about why we're being empowered and to what end. We are intended to be hope to fight against not just Shar, but..."

He glances over at a window for a moment, to the Light outside.

"A moment, please." Moore says as he looks up towards the ceiling. "I apologize for invoking You in such a way, but I think You understand." He says.

Using Miracle to ask for Zaphkiel to ensure the room is completely safe to discuss Ao, or to just give him a sign that it's safe to do so. He's not terribly clear on the details of that so he's just making 1000000% sure he doesn't end up in the Beyond with Antenora.

[Anastasia]

That's fair.

You don't even manage to begin to cast. Light flows brightly from above, a feeling of safety, peace and security filling the room.

"That is -!" Xandra murmurs, looking up and out the window, everyone doing the same. The light of Chronias shines down, blanketing all below in an endless radiance.

[Nephrite]

Moore closes his eyes. "Thank you." He murmurs.

He turns back to the others. "Again, I will repeat this: Do not, under any circumstances utter any word of this outside of this room. The only being you should discuss this with is Lord Zaphkiel himself -- but I would just stay safe and not even talk about it. If we need to discuss it, we can talk here in this room of it."

A pause before he continues. "The true enemy beyond all else is Ao, the Incarnation of Chaos. I do not know the specifics behind why, or what exactly happened with the Three Incarnations, but due to the lack of the Incarnation of Law, Ao has... I suppose the way to put it would be to tilt things. Somehow or another it seems like he... well, I hate to say 'he,' as it's an Incarnation, but Ao has had a hand in empowering Shar. Beyond defeating Shar, I believe a key in the fight against him will be finding Sylvie and finding 21." Moore says.

[Anastasia]

Cresiel smiles. "Chaos, is it? Always the problem comes back to chaos."

Xandra is silent, head bowed.

"So you want us to get into god slaying," Kaja says, a hiss of flame spilling out from his mouth after. "Empty graves are all that remain of god slayers, I find, garnished with broken ambitions."

"It's true, and Moore speaks the truth. We have no choice but to go forward with it, because if we don't...none of this will continue." Shaking her head, "After all I saw, I have no doubt it is true and it is our burden to bear."

[Nephrite]

"I'm surprised at you, Kaja." Moore says, with a smile and a look of false shock. "I would've thought you were the type to jump at the chance to take on a strong opponent. At any rate, we're not challenging Ao today, tomorrow, or anytime soon. Our goals, right now, remain the same. We continue to work for the betterment of those around us, continue in our campaign against the efreet and against Shar, and continue to make ourselves stronger." Moore says.

He clears his throat. "To that end, there is more to discuss. I do not know how she factors into this, but I tell you all this because it may become relevant. Pale Night, the leader of the demons, comes from a place called the Beyond, or the Far Realm." Moore says, with a look over at Xandra. "I have a feeling you may be a bit more familiar with..."

He trails off for a moment, looking at Xandra. He pauses, blinks, as if he's suddenly found a solution to a puzzle he never knew he had the pieces for. "...made whole." He says, his voice barely a whisper. "That's... what you can do, isn't it? You can use that power against creatures from Beyond."

[Anastasia]

Kaja growls, "I'm not in the mood for suicide missions," he says, "At least not that grandly."

Meanwhile Xandra keeps her head bowed, "Aberrations are not of Beyond, but I have never meant what Creation commonly thinks of aberrations." she admits, "But." A full pause here, "I have never known why I have been trained such, only that I am not to tell others of the direct truth until the time is right. Of my music, my true tutor has been the light itself."