21

[Ebiris]

Alicia merely nods as Seira provides an acceptable answer to Syala's question. "Is the portal ready? We just go through?" she asks, ready to proceed.

[Corwin]

Seira leads the way!

[Anastasia]

You stand on a beach, a beach where endless expanses stretch ahead in both directions. No sign of a shore beyond beach, and the ocean itself is one vast, blue-white mass that constantly laps and froths against the shoreline. Yet as it comes close it becomes less white, pushed and purged away, turning to blue water that harmlessly licks against the shoreline.

It is flat here, no sign of a mountain unlike Celestia. Simply endless beaches and endless ocean.

What are we but holy martyrs for all of Creation?

You know this great crusade won't end well for any of us.

May it at least end well for Creation through our tears and blood.

[Ebiris]

"That's pessimistic," Alicia says flatly to that dour greeting. "Either way, inaction is guaranteed to end poorly."

[Anastasia]

"Then we'll prove you wrong," Antenora's reply is immediate.

Syala steps forward, "Sylvie. You've gone places since Aurora."

You'll see.

For now, come forward and approach your trial.

Congratulations, Latha.

[Ebiris]

"Where do we go?" Alicia looks around, seeing featureless expanse in all directions.

[Corwin]

"Ah, yes, congratulations!" Seira belatedly says, before starting to lead the way towards the challenges. "When we just arrived I tried walking towards the sea but it didn't work, we only ran into a Horror from Beyond."

[Ebiris]

"We've seen enough of those," Alicia says, following after Seira.

[Corwin]

"Yeah, exactly. And Sylvie keeps on saying that but then refuses to explain, which is a bit of a downer since it'd be rude to just ignore her."

[Anastasia]

"There's a point to it," Antenora remarks, "One that speaks ill of our coming struggles." Then she smiles rather warmly. "It's hardly something we haven't faced before, and yet here we are."

"Optimism becomes you," Amaryl agrees, "But I fear that Sylvie does not speak only to speak, but for reasons true and worrisome."

Jessica lingers a moment, gaze out onto the white seas beyond, that forever wash against the barrier there.

With a glance back, Antenora and Syala both start to head back towards Jessica. As they do, "Antenora, you remember that the horror that stalked my sister was able to speak and understand us, in a fashion. With all we have learned, have we yet learned what made that horror different from the others?

Meanwhile, the portal you went through ripples and opens. Alyss, her node, Moore and Xandra come through, stepping in as well.

I said this last night in chat and I'll repeat it here: I don't expect you all to stay together long, the number of NPCs isn't manageable. However, both groups are going to the same place at about the same time, so here we are.

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa takes in the area and familiar face.

"Well hello. Popular place, isn't it?"

[Nephrite]

Moore greets everyone with a wave!

"Alyssa, this is it. I'm not sure what to call this place, but I think referring to it as "The Inbetween" isn't a bad idea. It's a buffer between Creation and Beyond. My understanding is that it really is rather formless, but our interpretation of it makes it manifest like this." He says with a gesture.

"Once we continue up towards that light," he points in the direction of 21s light, "You will find your trial."

[Ebiris]

Alicia turns back on hearing the new arrivals, pausing a moment in case Sylvie is going to give them an introduction. But after Alyssa speaks she returns the greeting. "Hello again Alyssa, everyone," she nods, there being too many to welcome them all by name, though Emily gets a familiar smile when they meet eyes. "Serendipitous timing, we'd only just arrived here ourselves."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Hello! An interesting place. I'd like to spend some time experimenting here. If it's formed from our interpretation,  we could do some fantastic things here."

[Anastasia]

"Aunt Alicia," Emily smiles and nods. "There much be so much to learn - that's 21's light ahead?"

The light of 21 will forever shine silently.

Your trials lay ahead, but learn as well.

Be strong.

Jarem steps forward and takes it all in. "That's 21 and that's Beyond, Sylvie?" He looks ahead and then to the waves. He rubs his helmeted jaw with his hand, "I always imagined it to be less...white."

"Moore's right. There's no form to it at all. It is what it is because of our perceptions," Syala says, "It matches what we've seen when we've stepped into the Beyond."

Ianvasah looks on at the waves, as if spellbound.

"Divinity," Dolmaya bows to them.