Io's Labyrinth

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "I believe that means Lady Alicia's team is next."

[Anastasia]

"More than that, it's a question of what we need, not what we want, in a sense," Amaryl speaks up here, going to the orb but not touching it. "We should have answers to Io's questions before we touch the sphere."

"I suggest Moore," Antenora looks to him, "Of those of us left, he is the only one who has not been gifted and is not divine. Surely his need is greater than our need, no matter how heavy our tasks."

"Maybe so," Jetina admits, "We have that war to fight once we get back, and that's not going to be easy. We could use the help for that and everything after it."

[Ebiris]

"Go ahead Moore, Antenora's logic is sound," Alicia offers. "If nothing else it'll improve our chances of making it to the next orb, I can wait."

[Nephrite]

"Who am I to argue?" He says with a smile as he flies over to tap the orb!

He's thought a lot about the answer to the question of need while he's been here, so does he have his own answer yet...?

[Anastasia]

On that touch, once again Io's hoard appears. AS it looms above, Io's voice asks Moore the following.

"Why are you deserving?"

[Nephrite]

"I'm deserving because I've risen to every challenge that Creation has put in front of me." Moore says. "Whether that was by your design, Zaphkiel's, or just pure coincidence, I've found myself embroiled in conflict after conflict to try and resolve, whether through diplomacy or words in battle. Each time my spirit was tested, I was able to persevere and push myself further and become something more than just a pixie with a nice-sounding voice."

He hums. Is there a significant difference between deserving and worthy?

[Anastasia]

Your words are heard before Io then asks the next question.

"Why are you worthy?"

[Nephrite]

"I'm worthy because, despite all of that, I haven't let my pride overtake me." Moore says. "I don't think of myself as someone who can influence all of Creation by myself -- I'm not someone with aspirations of grandeur. I can take pride in what I do without being prideful. I can appreciate what I do without being vain. I don't think I'm ever going to be a perfect person, but I want to do the right thing for people around me, to be a beacon of hope and help others realize their potential."

[Anastasia]

That answer hangs in the air, Amaryl smiling at it but not adding anything in.

"Why are you needy?" The last question comes, silence after.

[Nephrite]

"Despite my knowing that I'm deserving and worthy, I know my own limitations." Moore says, drooping for just a moment before he finds some sort of inner resolve and straightens his posture. "I accept that by myself, I am not as strong as others -- I don't need the sort of strength that gods and others have and wield. I am needy because I need others to bolster -- to give myself to them so that they can attain goals that they couldn't have imagined. I'm needy because with everyone around me, I want to render the word 'impossible' powerless."

[Anastasia]

"Then you will have my aid," Io says, as it flies forth. A slender flute flies forth, a flute of fine steel and filigreed with silver, giving it a shiny appearance.

"It is yours," Io declares, then it is all gone, the hallway as it was before, sans the sphere.

Loot.

[Nephrite]

Moore blinks as he takes the flute into his hand, lost for words.

[Anastasia]

"Well spoken," Antenora says, coming over and inspecting the flute. "What a marvelous thing." she remarks, "To possibly succeed at anything possible, if you merely perform to the utmost perfection of your own ability."

"Is that what it does?" Jetina asks, "It looks pretty, too, like it's meant to be a magical item."

[Nephrite]

"Basically, as long as you're willing to try at whatever it is as long as it takes to succeed, you will succeed." Moore explains to Jetina. "I thought originally that it was just coincidental that these orbs are here, but... it's definitely Io transforming what we want and need into something tangible."

[Corwin]

"In that case I hope he has some means of aiding in battlefield control," Seira muses, thinking of auras and their limitations. "Either way, what now? Do we head north?"