Advancement

[Ebiris]

'I'd like to try. I could direct you according to what suits me best, but let me ask you instead - based on what you've read so far and remember from your other influences; what is wrong with Creation?' she asks.

[Anastasia]

'...I don't know,' it finally says. 'But I'm afraid.'

[Ebiris]

Alicia hums audibly at that. 'Do you know why I'm taking care not to give my own opinions too strongly? Gathgorian has ample reason to hate me, and so I fear his influence will temper your reaction to any advice I give. If you've inherited the power of those three, you're a mighty being in comparison to most in Creation and so your actions will have weight. Fear without direction could lash out blindly, or be taken advantage of by one offering easy answers. Neither would be good for you or those around you.'

She lets that proviso settle before she goes on. 'Creation has many problems, many worthy causes that need all the help they can get. Many wrongs that need putting to rights. But do they spark fear? No,' she shakes her head, body language used even while talking telepathically. 'Indignation is more appropriate. What primal fear drives you across all three influences and everything you've read? What name would best fit that dread? Is it that all this, everything, could End?'

[Anastasia]

'...no.'

The answer takes some time. The being looks on at you, 'I'm afraid. I'm afraid of the light. I know that there is no other light in Creation like it. Are you afraid of it?'

[Ebiris]

Well that was clarifying.

Of course the other reason Alicia didn't want to say anything was because if she guessed and was wrong it would be embarrassing. Which it is!

She does her best to roll with it however. That sort of thing sometimes happens with unclear prayers, too!

'The light of 21... unfortunately, I don't believe you'll find anything in this library or any other that will protect you from it, should you ever find it turned against you. Just as no other light in Creation is like it, so too can nothing in Creation repel it.'

[Anastasia]

'Then what is to be done about it?' Is the question back that you get.

[Ebiris]

'A good question,' she returns, because she doesn't know the answer. 'I do not know if it can be destroyed by any means in Creation. The Incarnations will not hear any plea regarding it. It was hidden in the Abyss for an extremely long time, perhaps it might be hidden again?'

[Anastasia]

'Then there must be a place in the Abyss to hold it.' The being agrees after some time, 'It will have to do.'

[Ebiris]

'Is hiding it in a place it was already found truly the wisest course?' Alicia asks, wanting to dissuade it from going to the Abyss or putting 21 in a place that's convenient for demons to find.

[Anastasia]

'Then what else is to be done?' The being asks you.

[Ebiris]

'Find a better hiding place or seal? To start with, Sylvie has it and she has vanished beyond anyone's means to locate her,' Alicia points out. 'So as things stand it's not in play. What would you do if you heard Sylvie was out and about somewhere and using 21?'

[Anastasia]

'I don't know,' The creature says, 'But I would avoid her.'

[Ebiris]

'Then you'd have no control over what happens to 21, so any plans for hiding it are moot,' Alicia observes.

[Anastasia]

'Then we are powerless?' The being asks, 'No. I do not want to be powerless.'

[Ebiris]

'No one does. You must either make peace with the existence of 21, or else commit to a course of action you can take regarding it,' Alicia says to try and help it reason through things.