21

[Nephrite]

"It is." Moore affirms. "I'm guessing this place, whatever you want to call it, must've existed since Creation began. Or... well, maybe it existed, but..."

He shakes his head. "I guess it doesn't matter where it came from or how we managed to shape it to look like this. Still, I'm glad we're all here together for a common goal, and hopefully we'll all learn something in the process."

[Corwin]

"If I understood the planar math correctly, it's always existed," Seira responds. "And I rather think we nailed it, given the portal ritual worked as expected. In retrospect, it does make a great deal of sense for there to be a buffer and filter for Creation. And that Horror we've seen is likely similar to others who came through from the Beyond, by managing to overwhelm a specific point in the barrier?"

[Nephrite]

"So, wouldn't that stand to reason that there's some sort of... I'm not sure what you'd call it, guardians or something here?" He asks. "Watchdogs, maybe is a better word."

[Corwin]

"That's possible," Seira agrees. "Then again, a secret is only a secret if no one knows it."

[Nephrite]

"That's true, too." Moore nods. "I'm sure we'll find our answers once we get through all of this."

[Corwin]

"Is anyone else going to try and Ascend as One?" Seira wonders out loud. "I'm assuming you are, Moore, and maybe if there's really any benefit to it I'm not aware of I'll risk it myself, but other than us?"

[Nephrite]

"I think everyone in my group will try it." Moore says. "We all have... different paths, I guess is the best way to put it. I had given the book to Alyssa, and she's pursuing learning the Words of Creation in order to help with it. Tryll... I think he could, given he rose himself to a paragon with the power of the Triune, so there may even be a lot of similarities between what he did and this."

[Corwin]

"No, paragon is different," Seira says, shaking her head. "There are superficial similarities in the mechanics of most serious empowerments, but conceptually it's a very different process. Everyone in your group, though? You're pretty optimistic, given the horrifying consequences of failure."

[Nephrite]

"What is hope if not an overabundance of optimism combined with wisdom?" Moore says with a beaming smile. "You're right, though, it isn't something I think any of us will undertake lightly. Really, though, if that complete cancer on Creation, Gathgorian, can succeed at it, I'm certain all of us can."

[Corwin]

"It could've been pure dumb luck," Seira notes with a grin.

[Nephrite]

"That would certainly stand to reason with him." Moore says with a harrumph. "Or his boss cheated the system, somehow. But I'd guess even he couldn't manage that."

[Corwin]

"Asmodad actually has a divine seed, so I wouldn't put it beyond him. He also pulled some strings for Lixer's empowerment. Maybe he's actually as hard-working as Shar, behind the scenes."

[Anastasia]

"Asmodad?" Xandra asks as you go on, the path steady now, wider and much more comfortable. "Whyever do you call him that?"

[Nephrite]

"I like it." Moore says. "It fits the fact that he always has his nose in what his bumbling children are doing."

[Corwin]

"It's just funny to me," Seira admits. Also he probably hears it every time someone says his actual name out loud.