A new hill

[Ebiris]

"This one is stronger than the one at the bottom of the stair," she meets Queen's eyes before she includes Sulia in her gaze. "It has four charges, not three. I was prepared for this... if we each use one, would you two object if I passed the last to my sponsor? I can't say for sure who it would ultimately go to, but I trust their wisdom that it would be to Creation's benefit."

[Anastasia]

Sulia looks on at the seed a time, "I suppose it's only fair," she says at last, "Better than to give into the temptation of it, for I feel it even now."

Queen's hands close and open before she breathes out, "You saved me," she says at last, "I will do that for you, my friend."

[Ebiris]

"Thank you," she lowers her gaze. "I'd say more, but they asked for secrecy. Now... touch it and simply take what you are owed, my friends," she holds it out expectantly, waiting until Queen and Sulia both place their hands on the seed as well before she claims one of its charges for herself.

[Anastasia]

[What DvR does that take you up to?

[Ebiris]

5.

[Anastasia]

More power. It comes into you in a rich torrent, like the first bite of a chocolate cake that oozes with still warm chocolate inside. You feel energized, recharged, more than you were now as new abilities come into you.

"Oh," Sulia says softly, "Magnificent!"

Queen's tip of her tail thrashes wildly as the rest of her stays still, "It is no less divine than the first time," she breathes out.

[Ebiris]

"Would that there were more," Alicia says regretfully, still holding the diminished seed and resisting the urge to draw on it. What would she even do if Queen or Sulia took an extra charge? It's not as if she could stop them.

"If there are I don't have any more leads on them. Supposedly there is one in Acheron and one in Gehenna, but I have no further information beyond that. With this I've exhausted all the knowledge my sponsor gave me. The rest... is up to us."

[Anastasia]

"That's fine." Sulia says with a slight smile now, 'We need something to fill our days." You do notice her gaze drifts to the seed a moment, a lingering look, but her hand doesn't move towards it.

[Ebiris]

"We'll stay busy. But you must excuse me to get rid of this - I fear simply holding onto such a thing for too long for the attention it can bring. Can you both make your own way home while I take this away?" she asks, casting a gate to Io's labyrinth behind herself while Marie appears in response to a mental summons.

"You found it? Good job! Hi Sulia - hello Queen, I'm Marielle, I used to be Alicia's familiar but now I'm one of Sylica's goddesses," she greets the other two present, coming along to escort Alicia on the very unlikely chance someone ambushes her en route to Io.

[Anastasia]

"Nonsense, we will not go home," Empress Sulia declares with a smile, "What we must do after this is celebrate our trip out."

"...celebrate?" Queen asks, quieter. "It's been...far too long since I've done anything like that."

[Ebiris]

"Sulia gets it!" Marie grins. "Come on Alicia, you need to celebrate with your friends and not be all business all the time. We'll just be five minutes dropping this off and then we'll be back for the party, okay?" she smiles at Sulia and Queen before pulling Alicia through the gate.

"I do get overly focused sometimes," Alicia admits. "Alright, five minutes and we'll be back, just wait right here," she agrees, stepping through with Marie and closing the gate so they can hurry up to where Io is.

[Anastasia]

This is simple enough. You return to Io, who looms above when you come to him. "Another divine seed," he notes, "My congratulations."

[Ebiris]

"Thank you. I'm unsure precisely how many remain of the ones accounted for but... two charges to be used where there's need when all's said and done. Can you take care of it like the other I left here?" she asks, setting it down. "Bel and Gathgorian beat us to the one on Pandemonium."

[Anastasia]

"They will be safe here," Io concurs.

[Ebiris]

"Thank you. We'll be in touch again soon." Alicia and Marie take their leave from Io's presence before they gate themselves back to Sylica.