Shadow rondo

[Ebiris]

"Its lies were powerful, and almost overwhelmed us," Alicia says. "What happened with the other Colkes?"

[Anastasia]

"They're all asleep now." Syala explains, "It's not a normal sleep, either." She rises and lays her hand on the forehead of the true Colke nearby. "When robbed of everything that we were, what do we choose to be? I'm rather fond of Jessica's answer to that, but it's not our choice to make."

[Ebiris]

"I'll ask Sulia to have a look at the original one, she might have insights," Alicia says. Getting up herself and walking over, she takes out the scissors of unbinding. "Also, to make sure there's no lingering connection," a little snip, just enough to draw blood on the forearm before she heals it.

[Anastasia]

It is done. There's no visible effect, but Colke sleeps all the same. Syala watches a few moments before, "I think a moment of rest would do you both good now."

[Ebiris]

"You're not wrong. It's been a very long day," Alicia agrees, tucking the scissors away. "He'll keep until tomorrow."

[Anastasia]

A deck by the beach. Here as you look on at the night time ocean and shoreline a comfortable seat gives you a wonderful view, on the side and a mere turn of the head letting you see it all. Syala fusses over both you and Antenora - the latter dressed a short skirt and old, frayed tunic. She sips a glass of ambrosia and listens to the crash of the waves.

Syala works away at a cookfire built into the deck, which doesn't even singe the wood around it. The scent of cooking meat and vegetables fills the air. "I just sent an invite to the others if they want to show up," Syala calls back.

Antenora makes a noise of affirmation as she sits next to you. "My avatar just read an official dispatch from Dweomerheart. Mystra's all but officially on a war footing now. It's an open secret to anyone who visits Dweomerheart. I hear parts of Elysium are doing the same in response. No one can ignore the fact Mystra's preparing for war."

"No one can. I hear the Gates of the Moon are more prepared these days as well, but to a lesser degree. Then again, Selune knows well how to hide things in the night." Syala calls back as she works away.

[Ebiris]

Marie appears amidst all this, wearing a poufy ballgown which then morphs into something skimpier and suitable for the beach. "Just looked in on Colke. All that for a featureless flesh golem?" she asks, deliberately provocative.

"I'm hoping Sulia might be able to restore him, even then I don't expect we'll get any meaningful answers out of it," Alicia says with a look over to Marie as she sits back in one of her usual black bodysuits, sans armour.

"No, we won't," Marie agrees. "He's just another victim we'll help and send on his way with a pouch of gold and a pat on the head. I'm not trying to come down on the concept of helping others, but lots of other people need help that isn't nearly as costly as all this was for us. I'm actually glad you got a truce with Malcanthet because that's the second time we've been completely played by her. I could use a break!"

[Anastasia]

Antenora half scowls at that. She takes a breath before, "Marielle," she begins primly. "We didn't get played by Malcanthet this time. I think she was lucky by circumstance. 666's actions aren't within her purview to control."

Syala works the food over the grill, back to all of you as she does that. Nonetheless, she adds, "It feels like we should've accomplished more," she notes. "Perhaps we're too conditioned to expect rewards. I'm perfectly happy to give Alicia a big reward tonight," she smiles as she turns, hand on her hip, "But there's a sense we're out of our depth lately. First Malcanthet, then Talona and now Malcanthet again."

Latha appears behind Antenora, starting to slowly and gently rub her shoulders. She whispers a soothing word to her before, "Even a mistake and a defeat is a worthy reward, if you learn from it."

"Latha?" Antenora adds after a beat, "I love you, but save the trite little maxims for mortals who need the guidance." Her eyes are closed at that, expression tight. "I'm angry at Marie because she has a point, even if I disagree with the particulars of her assessment. I'm angry because I feel like we should have listened to Lord Zaphkiel's warnings and waited, we needed more power. I'm angry because Heavens above, we're supposed to win, because if we don't, our loss paves the way for so much suffering and evil. I'm angry because..."

Here Antenora opens her eyes and sighs, her anger seeming to deflate within her, "I'm thankful that Alicia chose to retreat, because I don't believe we had the slightest chance if it came to true combat." After a moment, "And worst of all, I'm angry because I feel like I failed you, Alicia. I'm sorry. I should have been stronger and fought better."

[Ebiris]

"Was she just lucky by circumstance, or did the Abyss itself have a hand in things? We relied on that gemstone of truth that came from a demon, and failed at just the right moment to see through the lie of the false Malcanthet," Alicia says. "There's no fault in you Antenora, we lost not because of lack of strength, but for a lack of cleverness. Marie's right, the Abyss has a better track record against us than Shar does, at least a truce secures that flank for a little while."

Marie just nods, seemingly satisfied by Antenora's reaction. "You should be angry," she agrees. "And if you want to champion truth then don't kid yourself that this was any kind of victory. I know lies and the ones you tell yourself are the worst."

"I'm angry but I'm not going to scream and punch walls about it. An entire town died, two powerful demons roam free, and all we have to show for it is a magic item worthless to us and whatever Colke turns out to be," Alicia says, standing up now. "So I'm taking what I can from the experience. We stood up enough to 666 to perhaps give it pause in the future, and the experience steeled our psyches against future horrors and attempts to undermine us. All that though... and we need to stop being so easily led by the nose. Every link in this chain of events was tied to the Abyss. Malcanthet, 666, Talona, the Man of Winds. Everything was working against us even when we couldn't see it."

[Anastasia]

There's silence as that's digested. "For what little it's worth," Syala says thoughtfully, "I think we're seeing this too much like Baator. Too organized a deception and a plan. Certainly Malcanthet can do that, but more that..." A wave of her hand, "The Abyss maliciously took advantage of the opportunities it had. If nothing else, I don't think the Man of the Winds lied to us or wanted us to fail. As much as I hate to admit it, his words had a ring of truth to them and still do."

"Scant comfort," Antenora's voice has an acidic bite to it, then she sighs, "Sorry. I knew better than that and I indulged in petty anger instead." Antenora sits back, eyes closed as she rests against Latha's chest. Latha smiles gently and rubs her head, soothing.

Syala comes over as a seat appears beneath her bottom. Wicker and pads, comfortable. "We knows the planes are alive after Bytopia and can act in their own interests. I think that was the one lesson we didn't absorb in this entire affair. The Abyss is alive, and even if individual children of it deal with us in an acceptable way, it'll still conspire against us. We're not mortals who can be ignored, but we're the rulers of Creation worth a plane's spite - let alone when we meddle with something like 666."

'We need to talk after this, love,' Antenora sends to Marie in the meantime. 'Privately. Not about this, I'm not angry at you.'

[Ebiris]

Marie goes to help herself to some of Syala's cooking in the meantime. "I'm not just the peppy little familiar anymore, I'm a goddess and that means delivering harsh truths where they're needed," she says unapologetically. 'But of course I can still be peppy and fun later!'

"We're too reliant on the trope of the Abyss always being at war with itself. Yet more complacency," Alicia says as she follows Marie to get something to eat.

[Anastasia]

"To summarize, even Aamuel and Hathradiah can sometimes agree," Syala says as food as gotten. A little lull in the conversation, a break to digest and eat.

Antenora slowly works on a kebab, gaze out on the ocean. "I asked Lord Zaphkiel what lesson we should learn from this," she breaks the silence. "He graciously answered me."

"Well?" Latha's attention instantly turns to Antenora. "What did he say?"

"He said that our souls stood against lies and that was a triumph." Antenora says, "He then asked me if I had discerned why the False Celestial did not kill lightly." Another bite, "I told him that I thought I knew, but that wisdom is best when proven holy. So he told me. The Abyss destroys. That's the essence of the demons. What of a demon who can destroy without the need to kill? A demon that can ruin without a drop of blood to be spilled? Is that not far closer to an Answer than any demon who kills simply to kill?"

A pause as waves lap against the shore. "He said that we won a more important battle than to kill him, and that when we talk to Colke, we'll understand. That the moment he spoke to the False Celestial, the battle had been decided in truth."

[Ebiris]

"I had that feeling," Alicia admits. "Zaphkiel wouldn't intervene to decide the outcome, when he spoke it was already settled. Although honestly I expected my request for mercy for Colke to be rebuffed anyway."

[Anastasia]

Look in yourselves, Alicia and Antenora.

Antenora merely focuses inward, eyes closed as she obeys without question.

[Ebiris]

Alicia takes a breath and does the same, introspective.

Not hard when you're One.