Wrap up (Various)

[Anastasia]

"It is a journey that is not simple," The sage warns, "You may die. Do you accept that?" He looks to each of you in turn.

Mirajane nods. "I do, if Afina will have me."

Bubbles laughs a bit, "Hardly, I won't die yet. I have no plans of dying here in any case, Yggdrasil isn't ready for me. Can you imagine all the fashion disasters there? I'd spend ages fixing that."

[Ebiris]

"I'm willing to countenance risk, but there is no outcome where I will accept my death, or the death of those in my care," Afina responds firmly. If she was willing to accept death it would have happened in Magmasoul.

[Anastasia]

"There is risk and you may die," The sage agrees, "If that is an unacceptable risk to you, leave."

[Ebiris]

"I will remain and listen," Afina says. Risk she can handle, she does it all the time after all.

[Anastasia]

"You must head into the wilds of Ice. It matters not where, so long as no civilization is nearby. You must do so shorn of anything - gear, magical items, weapons and even clothes. Only the power you have and what magic you can weave around yourself will do. If you cannot do this and survive Ice's touch, you are not worthy. In those wilds, there is a ritual to complete, I will tell you more of it soon. This will open a passage to Absolute Zero. You will have to satisfy many guardians, overcome trials and find your way to it."

A pause and then, "Know this. I know of your enmity with Hell. There are gelugons there, as they are of ice and serve Mephistopheles, who is of a heart so cold as to be worthy of Absolute Zero. Some are mere pilgrims attempting what you are, others are guardians."

[Ebiris]

"Would harming the guardians violate any taboo?" Afina asks. She still holds out a little hope that Mephistopheles servants will bring her Mala's head one day, but it's unlikely. "And if so how do I know them from the pilgrims?"

[Anastasia]

"No, but many are strong. Choose wisely." Is your answer.

[Ebiris]

"Understood," Afina nods, really it'll depend how easily provoked she feels whenever she meets one. "The ritual, then?"

[Anastasia]

"The three of you must construct an altar of ice, four feet tall and with a flat top. The three of you must dance around it and chant praises to Ice and cold. The words are not important, so long as they praise cold, though it will work fatest if all of you chant in aquan and auran. You will know your success when a passage to Absolute Zero rises up before you."

Mirajane nods, "I understand. Does the skill of the dancing matter?"

"No, but it will be faster with skilled dancers. The capering of feet and chanting are not truly important." The sage replies.

Bubbles frowns throughout this, though she stays quiet otherwise, save for glancing at you once.

[Ebiris]

"Thank you," Afina says, "Your wisdom will be put to good use. We will return to Aurora and prepare for our pilgrimage," she flies back outside rather than opening a gate right there, since that feels rude. And once they're above the island she says to Bubbles, "I won't be able to maintain your air elemental form without Afame." Although the idea is to improve Afame through these trials, she assumes once she makes the correct realisations and returns to Aurora she can pass any improvements onto the sword at that point. "If this lasts more than a day will your magic suffice for enduring the cold?"

[Anastasia]

Bubbles crosses her arms, "I can cast and recast energy immunity. Though what a scandal! Afina, do you really want to wander around here naked for anyone to see. There are a few fashion statements you can make that way, and they're either protest or not good. Plus those guardians seeing us like that! Dearie, it's a complete disaster."

Mirajane shrugs, "Mother's reaction to this idea will be...certainly worth seeing, if nothing else. If I tell her before we go. I have no problems with going."

[Ebiris]

"I don't think body-paint or tattoos are proscribed against, you can try those?" Afina suggests to Bubbles, eyeing her thoughtfully. Most nymphs are quite happy being nude, but she herself shares Bubbles' fondness for fashion even if she doesn't greatly care about exposing herself. It's just nice to wear nice things. "As for Jaela... well yes, we'll see what she says?" At least they're not going after demon abominations or anything.

[Anastasia]

"Perhaps, but if I'm naked in front of someone, I'm either bathing or about to get frisky," Bubbles says, "This is dreadfully awkward, just like that time with that aggravating portal. I lost tens of thousands of gold worth of fancy clothes and magical items from it."

[Ebiris]

"I've heard of portals like that. Awful things," Afina says, making a much nicer portal as she casts Gate to take them back to Elysium and Aurora. "What about shapechanging? Do you know any spells that would let you take an animal or elemental form for an extended period so you don't have to show off your own assets?"

Spoiler: ShowHide

Afina: 263+17/263 (-2 con), glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 24 attached to epic mage armour), heroes feast (CL 20), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), epic mage armour (CL 24), moment of prescience (CL 24), control temperature (CL 24)
AC 87, spell resistance 39, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/10/9/9/9/9/8/7/6/6/5

[Anastasia]

"Never had that knack," Bubbles admits, "Plus you can't spellcast in them, which is problematic. Sweetheart," she turns to you, "If it was anyone else, I'd say no. But since it's you," she smiles a bit, "I'll go if you need me to, but I wouldn't mind you finding someone else willing to take my place. Your choice."