Walking to Rosewater

[Anastasia]

Sulia comes right up and takes out that hair. Water soaks in and then gently flows away, as a brush goes through your locks. It's long, slow and gentle. Not a hint of pain or tangles, merely Sulia grooming you.

"I love your hair, Alicia. It's so pretty, you should wear it down more."

As Sulia works away and comments, "Ooooooh. I'd expect that more out of a devil or a daemon, but Malcanthet is a bit of a planner." Sharess whistles.

"That and this Violet may be," Sune says haughtily, "Succubi shouldn't rise above their station like that. Then what happened, Alicia?"

[Ebiris]

"I usually save it for when I'm out of armour," she says, leaning back against Sulia first as she's pampered, smiling at it. "But it pains me to admit, Malcanthet beat me for guile in this case, everything I did she'd predicted and planned for, at least up to that moment. I slew her avatar during a mutual time stop, though she scarcely seemed bothered by the loss. It gave me an opening against Violet while she was revelling in her stolen powers though - I imagine they hadn't settled fully, and I was able to hit her with a series of unbinding spells as she fled that had her vomiting the captured souls right back up. Not as if I want to do favours for any of the demons but better than to let Violet hoard all that power and knowledge. Pazuzu I warned off, I think Malcanthet just bribed him along as extra muscle since he didn't seem very invested, and we pursued Violet to find her in the Adversary's clutches a ways down the Styx," she goes through the events while Sulia brushes her hair.

"Was almost tempted to let him have her, but we'd gone through all of this to capture her from the start, and it was a cruel fate even for her. He handed her over without bloodshed. I'm certain he got something out of the whole thing though, since in the end he played both Malcanthet and us."

[Anastasia]

"That would sound like that vile old man's style," Sune frowns, "Though being caught amid fiendish plans is ever tiresome. Tiresome as a suitor who won't accept no."

As Sulia works she laughs lightly, a beautiful sound. "That means Violet is contained? Nonetheless that is a victory if her talent is as dreadful as it sounds. She would become an even greater problem in a short time."

"So Malcanthet gained a monk's abilities and the arts of a sorcereress? Good." Sharess says, a smile that shows very many sharp teeth, like a cat's. "I like my prey to be interesting. It makes playing with them so much more fun."

This gets Sune to laugh, joining Sulia, "Sharess," She chides, "We haven't forgotten you have claws."

[Ebiris]

"Yes, it's clear Malcanthet was grooming her for bigger and better things. They were talking about naming abyssal layers and such together," Alicia says, before she smiles back at Sharess. "Yes, it didn't seem to help her avatar much when I fought it and I'm not sure how serious that was. It's not something to throw away cheaply and yet everything present at that battle was disposable in some fashion to better fuel Violet's growth. I'd hoped there might be some reasoning with her after freeing her from the Adversary, but... well, they can't all be like Antenora or Mial. Indeed precious few are."

[Anastasia]

"Precious few are," Sulia agrees, brushing away - as at the same time she somehow massages your shoulders, surely magic involved. "So few but they provide so much hope."

"Tell me," Sune leans forward at that, "How has Antenora reached so far an so fast? I've heard garbled rumors and reports of interesting things on Fire, things that saw to a speedy conclusion of the war."

"She did adopt a cat not long ago," Sharess adds pleasantly, to which Sune gives her an openly exasperated look and tosses her arms into the air.

"A cat does not make you grow faster!" Sune declares, "No matter how often you try to promote that."

[Ebiris]

"Martin is doing well, by the way," Alicia tells Sharess while Sulia looks after her. "As for Fire, that was Eblis of course. He's returned to Celestia, and Antenora was instrumental in making it so. Such a clear manifestation of exactly what she represents on a planes-shaking scale, how could she not advance?" she asks with evident pride in her protege.

[Anastasia]

Sharess smiles at that while meanwhile?

"Truly?" Sune leans forward even more, only waist deep in the water as she goes to meet your gaze. "How? What broken piece of righteousness did she find within that hateful old spirit?"

Sulia massages away, "I suspect hope," she adds, "Hope for something better, something he knew could be from his past."

Sharess gives you a side eye look at that, "Well, good for her. To Marielle as well: How is she doing with such a change?"

"I would wager that she's proud of Antenora," Sulia says, "As well as secretly pleased to be so close to an actual deity. Why, Mystra once told me that Marie's quite the ambitious sort, if you haven't noticed. She's become a tulani as well, she's grown quite formidable."

[Ebiris]

"An alternative," she answers Sune. "Though hope isn't a bad way of putting it. Antenora and Eblis took the same path to power, yet while it ruined him she was able to maintain her hope in Creation and its future. Something that was able to break through to him and rekindle something long burnt out. I don't imagine we'll see him again for some time, wherever he's sequestered himself, but when he returns I've no doubt he'll be a force for good once again."

"Mmm, you have good hands Sulia," she adds, enjoying the massage she's getting. "You're not wrong about Marie either. She's ambitious and she's always worked hard to realise her goals. To be honest I wish I'd brought her along to Rosewater, her unorthodox counsel might've kept me from playing so well into Malcanthet's hands."

[Anastasia]

"You need a splash of chaos, kitten," Sharess declares, a little rumbling purr as she then adds, "I think Antenora realizes that somewhere in her brain, even if she'd rather not acknowledge it."

As Sulia loosens you up you feel a warm gel being rubbed into your shoulders and then down your back. Sulia hums away, a wordless tune that somehow feels very homelike, very...domestic in a way.

"At least he's out of Fire's hair," Sune admits, "It gave Seira the perfect opening from what I hear - though I could do without the new Sultan. Then again, it's been a long time since there's been a Grand Sultan I've liked, besides the Crimson Firebrand." A little shiver, "Mmm. A complete brute but so manly. He's one of those that make other men seem inadequate, an animalistic allure to him." A long lick of Sune's lips before, "That would be one I'd redeem, over and over and over again."

A few chuckles go around at that, "Really, was he that great?" Sulia asks, as warmth spreads from that gel, leaving your body utterly relaxed.

"Yes," Sune says immediately, a nudge to Sharess.

"He was a filthy monster...but yes, he was a man, alright. A rare breed." Sharess sets out grudgingly. "That sort that makes you want to be his woman."

[Ebiris]

"None have ever surpassed the original?" Alicia asks, not quite hiding a roll of her eyes at how they're all gushing over an efreet. "That's a little bit sad, though the current one's a particularly sad devil puppet. It'll be interesting to see how the padisha on water reacts to Sanzha's increasing prominence now that Seira's pushing her forward," she says on other elemental genie matters.

[Anastasia]

"None have come close," Sune admits, "That one? He had drive, a purpose that propelled everything he does. A little like Antenora, or perhaps Eblis if I read him right." Waving a hand lightly, a bit of water splashing, "I'd like to know that as well. The Water Lord's stayed out of it, as far as I've heard."

"She's taking a defensive stance," Sulia says, "After all, it kept them out of the Abolition War." At last done with your shoulders and massage, she settles next to you.

"That would also depend on the stance Sanzha takes, if she gets that far. Will she make it a fight?" Sharess muses, "The Padisha could have had Sanzha assassinated or tried to by now, if she fundamentally objected."

[Ebiris]

She smiles at Sulia as she repositions at her side after that pleasant massage. "If I recall correctly, early on she simply told Seira to keep Sanzha out of Water's affairs," Alicia says. "But - to use the sort of metaphor they'd appreciate, a deity's wake travels far," she scoops a hand through the water to leave a wake through Evergold behind it.

[Anastasia]

The water ripples, Sulia doing the same, the waves meeting midway. As they clash harmlessly, "Quite," Is the general agreement from Sune. Then with a lazy smile, "Speaking of making waves, how ARE you and Syala?" she asks.

Sulia titters at that, a hand to her mouth to gracefully cover it, only the sound heard. "My, you two are lucky to have risen together. I confess I find myself jealous at times."

Sharess gets comfy and leans back, "Yes, there's so many...juicy details you could tell us."

[Ebiris]

"We're doing quite well, thank you," she smiles coyly. "Syala was talking about a reward for the day's efforts... though she's also been talking about a new dungeon she's working on. We keep ourselves physically and mentally active together," she leaves it at that without going into salacious detail. They're all friends but still, a little mystery is needed.

[Anastasia]

Yet somehow, the smug little smile on Sune's face seems to suggest at more. Nonetheless Sharess chuckles, "I expect talk of dungeons for far darker ones than you. Then again, Syala has always been violent."

"As long as you're happy," Sulia agrees.