Refugees (Moore)

[Anastasia]

For some reason I thought you were talking about 21, the object.

My brain's just not been cooperative today. Clearly having a carb-bomb of a lunch was a mistake. Then again, if ravioli are a mistake, I don't want to be right.

Speed wraps up around your enemies, as suddenly the Astral Plane screams. The Silver Sea stretches out outside of Aurora from horizon to horizon, green fires spreading amid it like a plague. Devils.

You see so many devils.

Devils all around Aurora, lead by one whom you cannot ignore. His presence is overwhelming, choking. It's all you can do to keep thinking and not panic blindly, for at the head of the Infernal army that is coming from the burning sky, is a figure of nightmares. A pit fiend that towers over lesser such fiends, a blade of burning hate in his hands. You feel it pulse with him, murderbowkillgroveldestroysubmitmaimsbegmashpleadcrushkneeldevoursurrender.

You shudder.

His belt is the heads of angels, forever screaming to whatever deity they believe can still save them. They cry out, a chorus of noise all around the fiend, one that pierces the air and burrows into your mind.

Bel, the Lord of the First, stands at the head of the infernal forces.

"FORWARD, FOR THE GLORY OF HELL!"

Run. Run while you can. It is not time to Aurora to face him.

You don't want to die before you meet her again, do you?

You blink.

What?

The Astral continues to rumble, as you blink. You were about to cast a spell of haste, but...what? Bel. You remember Bel standing before Aurora, a moment of inhuman terror even as the devil army you saw is no longer there, nor is the Lord of the First.

Yet you still feel the overwhelming terror, the horror that pierced your Mind Blank. Your hand shake, your stomach queases and you're sweating profusely. It is time to use your diplomacy, Moore. Convince them.

[Nephrite]

It is a moment of prescience. A moment of stark terror that covers his face like a sheet as his wings stop and he falters.

"...We... ...we need to leave." Moore stammers out.

Is that... right? They need to... ...yes, no. No.

He takes a breath. Steady yourself -- no one likes a diplomat who can't stay professional.

He raises his voice. "Gisfal! We need to move Aurora. Now! Anywhere else -- we need to leave!" He shouts.

"Elena! Where is Balyss?!" He calls out. "Is she sensing anything!?"

[Anastasia]

Gisfal is nearby, coming over to you at your call. "Why?" He says bluntly, "Speak plainly, if you have a good reason."

[Nephrite]

"I think Bel is coming. No." He shakes his head.

"Bel is coming." He says, again.

"I'm sure of it."

[Anastasia]

"How do you know?" Gisfal says, waiting.

Meanwhile Elena pops in, "Working on it, both bodies are going full blats. I'm getting a third one after this!"

[Nephrite]

"Divine intervention, I don't know!" Moore says, his voice wavering for a moment.

a moment
A moment.

A moment, yes.

He takes a deep breath. "I had a vision. I can't tell you where it came from, but I can assure you that it wasn't wrong. If you have to have me identify it, call it divine intervention from Erathaol." Moore says with a hint of awe in his voice.

"I do not ask you to do this lightly, I am well aware of the current situation, so I will beg if I have to. Please." Moore repeats. "We need to leave before he gets here. We can't fight Bel right now."

[Anastasia]

Make a Diplo check here, Moore.

[Nephrite]

Take 10 for 96, using Divine Insight and more Improvisation points.

[Anastasia]

Gisfal is silent for a few moments, meeting your eyes with his.

"Move! Everyone inside," Gisfal bellows, "We're retreating to Elysium! Elena, tell Tepen or someone who can cast Sending as fast as possible to tell Jaela or Afina to meet us in Elysium! NOW!"

As Gisfal says this, the Astral begins rocking harder, people moving as fast as they can. "FASTER!" Gisfal calls, "Or you may not live to regret it."

[Nephrite]

Moore takes a breath.

Another breath.

It's all he can to calm himself down right now, focus on breathing.

[Anastasia]

Waiting a sec on Tryll here, in case Tryll or Calleigh does anything immediately relevant.

[Anastasia]

Tryll reaches out and moves the farthest away along, granting you precious seconds. Seconds you need as Aurora begins to move. The portal opens before you as you go in, a horrid shaking and a moment of unreasoning fear -

-

!!!

Elysium. Aurora stands on the sacred grounds of this holy land, no sign of the devils.

[Nephrite]

He lets out a breath.

Whew, they're safe.

........

Wait, but what about the people on...

"If Bel was really coming to face us, then he's probably going to turn his attention back on the others still on Lifasa, right?" Moore says with some hesitation and concern. Fear? Yes, fear.

"Wait... wait." He stops himself. "Why was Bel even... ..." He frowns. "They must've seen an opportunity..."

[Anastasia]

As Gisfal commands the troops Adrian flies over, skimming across the ground to you. "The hell happened?" he demands as he reaches you, "You talk to Gisfal and we're in full retreat."

[Nephrite]

He takes in a breath. "Bel was coming." He replies.

"I had a... a premonition, I guess you'd call it. I saw him -- screaming angel belt and all. He was leading that charge on Aurora." Moore says. He swallows once, as even trying to recall it seems rather difficult. "Bel was leading the charge with the devils against us."