Victorious advance

[Ebiris]

"Just will that I hear what you say, though you'll have to relay what Eblis says, or allow me a surface scan of your thoughts," Alicia answers. Can't force Eblis to include her but it's easy enough for her to get it from Antenora's perspective.

[Anastasia]

"You're welcome to scan my thoughts," Antenora says, "I'll lower my own defenses for you."

[Ebiris]

"Very well, here I go," Alicia does so.

Alter reality for detect thoughts.

[Anastasia]

Right now, Antenora's thinking that if you can understand this, tell her so.

[Ebiris]

"It worked, I'm in," Alicia says neutrally, resisting the urge to say something like 'Don't think about Marie' that will of course make her do just that.

[Anastasia]

Eblis, we should talk.

What is it you want?

Perhaps it is the transmission, perhaps something else, but Eblis's voice is quieter. It's far from the overwhelming scream that it was before.

[Ebiris]

Something to ask Antenora about afterwards perhaps.

It could just be he's only that loud 'in person' too.

[Anastasia]

I want to help you.

Then put aside your foolishness and join me.

That wouldn't make you any happier, Eblis.

A pause, no response.

You defended those you care about from Seira's assault. You didn't want to feel the sorrow of losing them, to become even more sorrowful.

I grow weary of this yet again.

Then put aside your overweening pride, fallen. It hurt me so much to do, to face what I did and I at least had the excuse that I never knew better. Someone weak and alone could only hide and rage in his tower.

Silence, stone cold silence at that.

I suspect you grow weary of this because another is making this exact point to you. You've been in the presence of Good, Eblis. Does Good give up on anyone if there's still a chance? No matter how sullen, angry, miserable and hateful they are? No matter how much they cling to what they know is wrong? Tell me, will all those excuses provide anything if you end up alone in the Beyond? Will you curl into a ball and hide there, raging at what no longer exists?

[Ebiris]

She's making good points. "What use is his Answer if it leaves him so dissatisfied?" Alicia asks aloud, working through some thoughts to help Antenora formulate her own arguments. "I heard it said that 21 is the battle for a soul, and that was a tool the Incarnations made to study Good and Evil. There's no objective True Answer handed down from above, only what we choose and make manifest, what our own souls cleave to."

[Anastasia]

Antenora flashes you a smile at that, but focuses on her task.

What is it? Do you fancy yourself a vessel, a cistern to carry water beyond this Creation? Something to protect those you care about, those wives and children you're willing to protect? Something so you won't be so alone?

Silence.

It terrifies me.

I worry that I may have to do the same thing, Eblis. That I will be alone, that I may alone be the only thing that could save the souls of those I care for from the Beyond and oblivion. I am a paladin, surrounded by courage and my own will - and such a thing yet inspires dread in me.

We both understand why, we have both seen the Beyond. We have both faced it.

Silence.

So it comes down to two things: Our fear and our love.

We are afraid of the Beyond and what it promises should the worst come to pass.

We love and are loved, so that we would wish to save those we love.

Next to that, what is our rage and what is our pride?

[Ebiris]

Antenora's doing a lot of talking but is he even listening? That's why Alicia prefers to meet up in person for serious discussions, you can never really tell if your words are getting through.

[Anastasia]

I'm so tired.

Why?

Silence. A stretch of it, almost too long before a reply.

I've always known Father will never lie. The last thing he told me when I left was that all my rebellion would be meaningless.

I've never been able to forget those words.

[Ebiris]

"And yet the road back is still there, has always been there. He knows this, he can't not," Alicia gives her commentary, present as a sounding board should Antenora desire but not interrupting the delicate conversation.

[Anastasia]

Antenora pauses at this, a soft sigh. "What we know and what we do are too often different things. How many indecisive hearts lament for all time because they knew but did not act in their mortal lives? Pride, greed, hate, lust and so many more sins all rob the will to do what we know is right."

[Ebiris]

"I suppose you're correct," Alicia nods her head. "It's just how many times can you say to someone 'there's another way' without it getting repetitive?"