The eternal battles forward

[Anastasia]

Antenora returns it and flies over, and pulls you into a hug, "You always worry about those that you care about." she answers.

Syala glances over and smiles a little bit as the portal opens. "She was right - you'd make an amazing hound archon, Antenora. Woof, woof, woof."

[Ebiris]

"It's a shame I've always been more of a cat person," Alicia returns the hug with a clink of armour on armour before she lets go and floats through the gate out into the sky high above Sylica. They can teleport around from there and she doesn't like making a gate from anywhere else that goes to anywhere sensitive or important.

"I think she ultimately wanted Violet back for her power to copy skills rather than for any personal need. She never offered up the artifact that keeps Violet's powers from being a zero sum game," she says once they're back in Sylica and the gate closed.

[Anastasia]

"We'd be a fool to assume she truly loved Violet," Syala concurs, as you sense an ally has just entered Sylica. Ranbar's knocked, Latha just let her in.

Antenora's quiet a few moments, "A moment," she says, gone on the wings of teleportation.

[Ebiris]

Letting Antenora go do what she has to do, Alicia and Syala head down to Liberton. She has a look in on what Latha and Ranbar are up to as well while talking to Syala, "I was hoping she needed sorcerous expertise for unfortunate side-effects from the procedure though."

[Anastasia]

Syala takes your hand as you fly. "If only," Syala agrees.

Amid your prayers you hear Ebony's voice, 'My Lady, I wish to speak to you of the secrets of the Far Realm.'

Ranbar meanwhile is walking with Latha and says, "...and I'd like to talk to Alicia as well. I could use her opinion most of all, she began mortal."

Amid all of this, Antenora pops back in. Her expression is wholly serious as she holds two golden puppies in her arms. Syala glances at her and blinks slowly, before starting to laugh. "Are you taking it that literally?"

"I think Marie would like a puppy," Antenora concurs, "As well as a trusted servant to oversee pets, but I'll see to that later. Alicia," Antenora says, quite seriously, "Would you like a puppy?"

[Ebiris]

"Where did you get those?" she asks Antenora before pausing, then frowning. "I'm sorry. Seira just told Ebony all about the One ritual, I'm going to have to talk to her about that now. It needs to be me I can't delegate this after that."

Come to Liberton Ebony. We must speak on what you've learned.

[Anastasia]

'I will obey.' Is Ebony's reply.

"Seira?" A hm at that from Antenora, "But why?" As the puppies pant and look adorable, "Of course."

[Ebiris]

"I don't know, she hasn't mentioned planning this I just became aware as it happened, she told several of Aurora's leadership at once," Alicia admits, giving both puppies a brief pat on the head before she vanishes, teleporting to one of her palace's sitting rooms and awaiting Ebony's transit which she'll redirect here to join her. Ranbar will have to wait as well.

[Anastasia]

Ebony soon comes and seats herself. She's without her normal cloak and hood, in favor of a light dress and sturdy leather traveling boots. "Alicia," she greets once she's inside, "I explained the situation to you to your satisfaction?"

[Ebiris]

"I caught what Seira told you, and I know it must make the deflections you heard in light of other recent apotheoses here seem all the more unsatisfactory," Alicia says, sat facing her on comfortable chairs, her own armour and sword absent and hair down. "I'd like you to understand that keeping things quiet was not meant as a slight, and give you the full story now even if it's late."

[Anastasia]

"I'm no fool, Alicia." Ebony says at last, face composed. "I'm amazed Seira gave us this. The sheer opportunity this is boggles my mind. Tell me what's going on, but I don't blame you for not telling me all of it."

[Ebiris]

"First of all, it's just one piece," Alicia says. "It can make one a deity, but that's it. The lowest rung, it doesn't empower an existing deity. We've used other things for that, limited use tools left behind by the Incarnation of Balance. Seeds of divinity. Of all the deities recently ascended, the only ones to have used the ritual you were given are Gathgorian, Antenora, Moore, and Sylvie. Knowledge of the seeds isn't so dangerous, since unless one can find what the Incarnation of Balance hid and set guardians upon then nothing can come of it, and the seeds themselves work perfectly every time. The ritual though...

"It's deceptively simple. I know Seira gave you all sorts of lore but at it's core it's nothing more than a simple affirmation of one's self outside of Creation. Eblis was the first that we know of to achieve it."

[Anastasia]

"A affirmation into infinity is no small, simple thing," Ebony rebukes you, "As I'm sure you know. I see then. A more frank and honest question, Alicia: is it worth it to be a deity? Is every responsibility worth the power?"

[Ebiris]

"I said deceptively simple," Alicia chides. "I know Seira gave you a lot of additional material going into depth on the mechanics, but Antenora achieved it with no additional guidance beyond Eblis simply telling me it could be done. Antenora herself had a hand in writing what you were shown earlier after her experiences."

She leans forward in her seat towards Ebony then. "Do you seek divinity for yourself? I don't believe any deity would tell you it's not worth it, but it's a self-selecting criteria. I don't see it as a trade of power for responsibility, because taking responsibility is itself a prize for someone like me."

[Anastasia]

To this Ebony bows her head at the rebuke before, "Antenora and Eblis." A long, dry look. "Two souls that so often redefine what is possible. Deceptively simple indeed." After that and a breath taken, "No, I do not. Perhaps one day now that I know how, but an army cannot be only leaders. You need proxies and favored servants, Alicia."