The assault on Salty Pier

[Nephrite]

"I'll come back to talk more." Moore promises.

He offers another bow to Aurixanila before he heads towards and into the door!

[Anastasia]

Within is...a simple tavern. Unremarkable, pleasant, dark and warm. Here an old man in robes and with a pointed hat eats a meal, standing out from the other patrons. He's old and with a long beard, seemingly content to enjoy his meat and potatoes.

"Oh," he says brightly, "My guests are here. Come over, come over!"

[Nephrite]

Moore flies over and pauses for a moment. "I'll admit, I was expecting to find myself on some small outcropping with you staring down from a throne of silver wings." He says with an awkward smile. "I suppose this does take your philosophy and distills it to its very core, Lord Bahamut." Moore says as he offers a deep bow.

"Thank you very much for taking the time for us." He adds. "Thank you also for aiding us on Lifasa. I don't want to derail this conversation too much, but I'm not naive enough to not realize that you supporting Aurora with 'that one' there was... how do I put it, exactly..." He pauses here to search for the right word. "A political mess, I suppose."

[Anastasia]

Jetina merely matches that bow, as does Xandra.

The old wizard sighs, "Aurora - foolish there is no doubt, but their hearts are in the right place, no matter how my duties from Io interfered." Waving a hand, "Politics of divinity aside, are you here about Gathgorian as well?"

[Nephrite]

Moore tilts his head slowly. "Hm? No, not at all." His face sours after a moment. "I have a feeling I don't want to know what that slimeball of a devil has done, but after his stunt with Yggdrasil I'm obligated to ask about him."

[Anastasia]

"According to Afina Devilsbane, he has been accepted and has become divine," Bahamut says, voice leaden with disgust. Unacceptable.

Xandra's eyes narrow, "Unacceptable."

Jetina looks up sharply, "No! I refuse to...such a vile thing! After what he did to Ilsenine?"

[Nephrite]

Moore takes in a breath through his nose. "Something like that doesn't just... happen."

He takes a breath. "I refuse to believe that happened through whatever the... normal channels are for this sort of thing. I..... hmph. There's got to be more to this story." He affirms.

[Anastasia]

"Ao's judgments are his alone," Bahamut intones darkly, "For every worthy one he allows to rise, such as Alicia or Empress Sulia, there is a darker one."

You are right. You must grow stronger. Io must be found. The 21 must found again - Sylvie must be found.

[Nephrite]

Moore glances over at Xandra as he takes a breath in.

"I have a suspicion that I can't confirm, but I think Ao had nothing to do with this." Moore says as looks him right in his eyes. "Lord Bahamut, I need to find someone that I think you must know about. I need to find the Dreaming Dragon."

...He really hopes that Bahamut's going to know what he's talking about.

[Anastasia]

Who do you mean by that?

[Nephrite]

Let me add a little more to it, since I just put something together that I didn't realize when I made the post.

"...Let me be more clear." Moore says, as he takes a breath. "Io... wa--...is. Io is above all dragons, right?"

There's hesitation, like he isn't sure if he's even allowed to say all of this. He closes his eyes for a moment and steels himself.  "I think He never left. He's been dreaming since... whenever. He's awake now, and I need to find him."

Another breath in. "Please tell me where Io is."

[Anastasia]

Bahamut gives yo a long look, "You know he's awake?"

[Nephrite]

"Well either that or I'm trying to bluff a god, I mean, your pick really." Moore says with a handwave.

He suddenly turns to Xandra and snaps his fingers. "That's probably why the thing keeps hap--" He turns back to Bahamut. "Why it's ... ....augh!"

Another breath, deep and slow.

"Are you confirming the fact that YOU know he's awake or asking me if I'm sure that *I* know he's awake?" Moore asks. It seems like he's suddenly teetering on the edge of some sort of excitement and knowledge.

"And if it's the former, does everyone know?"

[Anastasia]

"It may be that Io has returned at long last," Bahamut finally says, "The signs are right, but I do not know where he is."

[Nephrite]

Moore takes in another breath. "Well, how about this... do you know where he was when he disappeared the first time? Is it even in Creation itself?"