21

[Nephrite]

Moore flies along after them!

[Anastasia]

Onward. Ahead on the beach sits a stairway going up, up and ahead into nothingness.

Come, your trials await above.

[Corwin]

That's pretty ominous! So Sylvie, let's talk a bit. Are the trials a mandatory part of reaching you? Must any who try to reach you attempt to become One? If the answer to that is yes, is your method better than Io's?

[Anastasia]

I've given so much.

I have not given up a chance to indulge myself one last time, and see if you are worthy.

Besides, the journey is important to all of you. Don't you see that? Every step forges you into the weapons you're meant to be, the ones that will rip Shar's throat out.

[Nephrite]

Moore rubs his chin as he expects no answers to come... then blinks as one does... ah, but it isn't really an answer, is it?

Of course she'd know how to get around that.

Are the voices actually different 'Sylvies', he wonders?

[Corwin]

Seira climbs the stairway up.

[Anastasia]

Up and up.

A stone platform is here, five doors ahead.

The first door has a sigil of Sylica on it.

The second door has a sigil of Hope's Landing on it.

The third door has a sigil of a squid on it.

The fourth door has a sigil of Alyssa's new academy on it.

The last door has the sigil of the Cauldron on it.

Go as you will. The sigils are recommendations.

[Corwin]

You're suggesting that we split up?

[Anastasia]

Do whatever you want.

[Nephrite]

"I imagine each door has lessons that each group should learn, or things to help them on their way. I'd further imagine that they probably will change when a full group goes in, as opposed to only a few." Moore says as he looks at the doors.

"I also imagine there are challenges suited to fit each group, though I'd think they're changed if only part of the group goes in... but we can't say that for any amount of certainty." He says. "I'm fine with either all of us going into one or us taking the doors that should suit us."

[Anastasia]

"It may be as she said, that it's a chance for each group to grow," Xandra comments, "Or not to grow as the case may be."

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. He doesn't expect an answer, but...

"Can we traverse these doors more than once?" He calls out.

[Anastasia]

Until you clear a door out, you can come and go as you want.

[Nephrite]

"Does what's behind each door change depending on how many people from our respective groups there are?" He asks aloud.

[Anastasia]

No.