Relief

[Anastasia]

Home.

The four of you stand there after your battle, a moment to recover from it. It's Cresiel who speaks first, "When I faced it, all I could feel was its anger."

Sylvie glances back at where the portal was. "Okay, so we know the stories about its anger over its fate are not exaggerated."

[Nephrite]

"Yes, but we survived." Moore says.

A breath in and out. "I'm sorry. I was foolish to think all it would take was kind words to get it to listen. I won't make that error again." He bows his head. "I could've gotten you all into a much worse situation because of my optimism."

[Anastasia]

Jetina slowly rubs the back of her neck, as if working out a kink. Afterwards, "I'm glad we tried. We know we need a different approach to it."

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't try. It was foolish - but you're that sort of fool." Sylvie says it without rancor, just understanding. "Apology accepted, now let's not poke it until we have a better plan this time."

[Nephrite]

"But what -is- the plan?" Moore asks. "I mean... hm."

He takes in a breath. "Maybe that's part of why the Archangels gave this task to us. Because they think we can unravel how to do it."

[Anastasia]

"We need to sit down and think," Sylvie says, "I don't think any of us can beat it once it falls into that rage, so any plan that involves combat's dubious at best."

[Nephrite]

"I agree." Moore says. "Maybe... hum. I don't want to use the Beyond as a solution to this..."

[Anastasia]

"That is a terrible idea," Sylvie says immediately, "But so I can know what's going on in your head, use the Beyond how?"

Jetina hums, "Perhaps a horror in the Beyond could destroy it? But it seems completely out of our control."

[Nephrite]

"Basically something to subdue his rage - destroy it, or at least interfere with it." Moore says. "Think of it like... what I tried when you fought us there - like when I was trying to sever your connection to 21." He says. "Somehow or another, to sever his connection to his rage, at least temporarily. He might still hate us, he might still not listen... but it's also possible we might be able to get through."

[Anastasia]

"Easier said than done," Sylvie reflects, "I'm thinking of resources and not coming up with any. Even if we can force magic to calm him past his no doubt considerable natural immunity, his rage will render his will even more unbreakable. It might not ever fail, so we would absolutely have to deal with him before he gets angry, but I'd imagine our mere divine presence would infuriate him."

[Nephrite]

"Well, we can't send avatars, because that would probably fall to the same trouble." Moore says. "Maybe... I don't know, this is a challenge."

He rubs his chin. "It is easier said than done, but I think we have to find some solution that isn't... I don't even know where to begin. Could we find something that mutes our divine nature?" He asks. "He'd still know who we are, but... maybe that would be enough?"

[Anastasia]

Cresiel muses, "Perhaps, but he seemed to discern what we were even with protective magic."

"He may have abilities for that," Sylvie reasons, "Perhaps not and he discerned it from our attempts at divine magic or efforts, but I suspect he would. His entire reason to exist may be..."

"Also," Jetina speaks up, "Why were you calling him it before, Sylvie? You just called him he."

"It's more of a force of nature than a man or woman," Sylvie answers honestly, "From creation to what it became. It might appear more as a man, but I doubt it has any meaningful identity for it at all. No more than a storm or a hurricane does. All it has is implacable purpose. It's still mentally easier to refer to it as a man. Common isn't a gendered language like Elven is, but-"

The blank look on Jetina's face says it all.

Sylvie blows out a breath, "Right. Language theory isn't your forte. Never mind, we're getting away from the point. We can try to hide our natures but we may be wasting our time with that."

[Nephrite]

"Yes, sorry, that's my fault." Moore says. "I didn't want to call him 'it,' or... anything, it's just a force of habit. At any rate, talking in circles won't get us anywhere." Moore says. "But we clearly need to do... something. If masking and hiding our natures won't solve it, we should try and think of something else."

A rub of his chin. "You know, maybe the best solution is simply asking someone like Xandra. Sometimes you need a little bit of mystic divinations." He says. "It may not lead us anywhere, but we ought to at least see if it can point us in some direction."

[Anastasia]

"A good a first idea as any," Cresiel speaks up, "We lose nothing by the effort."

[Nephrite]

Then it's off to find Xandra! Who probably is already expecting them.

[Anastasia]

Xandra is indeed. She awaits you inside of Hope's Landing. "I'm glad all of you are well," she notes.

"Well and alive," Sylvie says, "Even if we had a bit of a scare."