The moments in between

[Corwin]

Say, Zaphkiel? Seira directs her thoughts heavenwards as she settles back to watch the lake of lava in silence with Amaryl. Sylvie's challenge is supposed to get me to develop new uses of my power and learn, but what I've been trying hasn't worked, beyond a bit of specialized knowledge. Can you guide my way?

[Anastasia]

You rest with Amaryl, her hand in yours.

What is it you seek to learn, Seira?

[Corwin]

Further insights on the path to One.

[Anastasia]

Soon.

The path to them will be revealed soon. Have patience, for I have provisioned for this.

[Corwin]

I want my trusted companions to have the best chance at this ritual, since they are our best chance at victory. If you say it will happen in time, I will wait.

As for next, I'm interested in hearing the progress of our projects. Behemoth research, etc.

[Anastasia]

Sure, gimme one in particular and I'll start with that one.

[Corwin]

...Behemoth research

[Anastasia]

It was a chance for variety!

Really. Stop looking at me like that. Whimper.

Yandrazrt isn't too hard to find. He's standing over your metalworks, as various smiths work and produce all manner of things. It's a little balcony above it all, his arms crossed as he takes it all in. A look back when you ask, "The behemoths? A status report, Seira? Hold on."

The old golem-gnome cups hands to his mouth, "ALADEEN, DON'T LET ME SEE YOU LETTING ANY IMPURITIES INTO THAT ALLOY AGAIN!" he shouts.

Then, once that's done, "How up to date are you with the research?"

[Corwin]

"I'm not, hence the in-person status report," Seira responds with an apologetic shrug. "We jumped straight from a war footing to important research."

[Anastasia]

"You're aware that the main clog is with specimens?" The gnome asks, "Namely that by the way most do it, there's few that survive the process and become behemoths? That's a problem. However, applying it in lesser ways to promote growth has been productive and we've made good progress there."

[Corwin]

"I also believe that Syala provided several more suitable specimens?" Seira voices. "So that we have a decent starting point."

[Anastasia]

"Do you need a double sized cow or dog?" Lagann asks, a hint of a smile on his face, gruff. "There seems to be only so much of a connection and influx of positive energy that each creature can handle like this, independent of how they normally can endure and heal wounds. It doesn't seem to track to the overall power of a creature, unlike those."

[Corwin]

"And that describes where we are now. So where are we headed? After all, we do know the process works. What we would like to do is make it more humane and reliable."

[Anastasia]

"That's why our research heads in the direction of understanding that connection and the limits of it," Lagann agrees. "My theory is that behemoth creatures have a far higher tolerance than other creatures to positive energy. A talent for it, the same way a wizard might be particularly talented at a school of magic. It's inborn and it's rare, like a child being naturally born with an extra finger."

[Corwin]

"And then you're exploring both the means of easy detection for such tolerance as well as how to artificially induce it?"