Mystran rest

[Ebiris]

Not that the Beyond is especially scary for her these days.

"Too much instability, I think, it took the path of least resistance to the astral," Alicia concludes after a moment. "Well, we'd best return to the Gates of the Moon, Selune will be expecting us."

She opens a gate to where they left with Phoebe earlier and flies through, Marie dispelling her illusion and becoming visible herself as she follows.

[Anastasia]

Safety. You stand under the light of the moon. Selune's intent is wordless, a mix of anger directed at Shar and simple curiosity. It lingers for several moments before words finally come.

"What evil has Shar gone to this time?" Is her question.

[Ebiris]

"Her avatar was there, she wanted to show us something," Alicia begins, regretful but composed. "She's developed some way to merge herself with the essence of a plane to magnify her powers - her avatar and the demiplane became one. I'm sorry, but we weren't able to protect Phoebe in the battle that followed."

Marie hangs her head, holding the shawl before her.

[Anastasia]

Latha bows her head as well, silent.

"Phoebe will reform here," Selune says at last, "Fear not, I have long taken measure to ensure Shar cannot lightly take her soul." The shawl flies up and is lost in the light of the moon, "I would not send her otherwise."

[Ebiris]

"Still, it's a black mark to have let an ally fall in battle beside me," Alicia says. "We were able to extract Shar from the demiplane with considerable effort - I think the technique requires the plane to be morphic but I can't be sure. That still left us with an avatar to fight, although we were able to drive her off and escape. Whether Shar herself has now merged with the plane of shadow is I suppose the big question now."

[Anastasia]

"I fear the worst," Latha says, "Shar was not disturbed by our small victories there, I fear that this entire encounter was merely her triumphant celebration. A taste of what she wishes to give us."

Selune is before you - an old woman made young, a fantasy of moonlight. "Were such a deed managed, we risk the greatest nightmare."

[Ebiris]

"There's still a lot we don't know, how much that demiplane had to be prepared for it, whether she can use that power to influence things outside the demiplane, whether she and her avatars can merge with the outer or inner planes... but she sounded extremely confident about it being a decisive stroke against Creation," Alicia concludes. "Regardless, it took the three of us concerted effort for almost half a minute to break the union. That's not practical for most."

[Anastasia]

"Few can withstand her avatar," Selune continues with that, "But it has become even deadlier for those who can. This is not a move to terrorize the mortal, but to seek the blood of the immortal."

For one moment Phoebe's shawl is seen amid the moonlight.

"You have grown mighty," Selune finally says, "At a pace I have never seen before, this fast and this strong. All of you, this Godsrush - it must continue. Shar is not idle. She does not wait for us to be prepared to destroy her."

[Ebiris]

"Her penalty at the God-King's judgement hasn't slowed her down," Alicia agrees, eye briefly caught by that shawl before it focuses on Selune. "Gauging her commitment to battle is hard even for me, at time she felt like she was toying with us, at others like she was truly determined to snuff us out. It keeps us off balance and uncertain... but certainly we need to become stronger to properly fight her."

[Anastasia]

"See that you grow stronger, as do all of you, as do the others of the Godsrush." Selune agrees. "I watch over Alyssa Songsteel's new realm and they grow as well."

[Ebiris]

"If we've time for it... now she's done this and talked such a big game, Shar won't stand still," Alicia says. "Still, we'll return to Sylica and prepare. And I must tell Mystra of this. Farewell, Selune."

[Anastasia]

There is a pause as you turn to go.

"Alicia," Selune's voice is quieter, almost a normal woman's voice. "Today is a dark day - for it is the first day I fear that Shar may triumph. Has she merged with Shadow, there may be none but the Incarnations who can stop her."

[Ebiris]

"I know," Alicia says grimly. "She wouldn't have been so proud of a trick limited to a mere demiplane."

[Anastasia]

"Should I face Shar and fail, you must travel to Lunara on the Astral Plane, but only should I lay my life down and still fail to defeat Shar. You may tell the other leaders of the Godsrush but no others. Mystra already knows." Selune explains, "Do not forget this."

[Ebiris]

"You should know, the Godsrush has a sponsor," Alicia says, delaying on this grim note. "If I tell the others, they'll know as well."