Deep into the Infinite Stair

[Anastasia]

"I wonder...there's more to us than how we align for ethics," Jessica muses.

The moon dog does so without hesitation. Now it is a black color filled with bright yellow star-points within.

[Ebiris]

"This also discredits the theory," she says, having expected a pinkish white colour. "Thank you, you can go," she unsummons the moon dog. A firre eladrin is called forth next to repeat the process, Alicia expecting to see pale green and white.

[Anastasia]

The colors are fire red and ivory white, distinctly two halves of the same whole.

[Ebiris]

"Thank you," she unsummons it. "Lets see how it responds to elementals next?" she summons a medium fire elemental and asks it to touch the orb.

[Anastasia]

The orb stays flat gray throughout, not the slightest bit of color.

[Ebiris]

Alicia dismisses the elemental. "I expected something more... fiery," she admits. "That kind of elemental is a lot weaker than everything else we've had touch the orb so it may measure power or strength of will to a degree? Can we change it ourselves?" she picks it up again and focuses, willing the red flecks amidst the blue to gather together.

[Anastasia]

That doesn't happen, but it does change slightly - some flecks of steely gray fill the orb.

[Ebiris]

"Hmm. I'm trying to make the red gather together but that's just made grey appear instead," Alicia says. "You try making it change colour or something?" she asks, holding it out for Jessica to make an attempt.

[Anastasia]

Jessica takes the orb - and when she tries, the same flecks of gray appear.

"Why?" Jessica murmurs, brow furrowing. Yet more gray appears, spreading throughout the orb as she focuses on it.

[Ebiris]

"The grey is a response to willpower, or trying to force something?" she wonders. "It's a different shade than what the fire elemental had."

[Anastasia]

A wordless hm as Jessica focuses. Soon the orb is entirely steel gray, consumed top to bottom. Jessica's full concentration is on it, gaze locked in those gray depths.

[Ebiris]

Without saying anything, Alicia puts her hand on the orb without actually focusing on anything, just seeing if that prompts a change.

[Anastasia]

The orb immediately shifts to the same crimson red as before.

"There do seem to be rules to it," Jessica agrees. "Is it tied to blood? Intent? Emotion?" she muses on it, "It's too bad Antenora's not here, she'd have a stronger theory already."

[Ebiris]

"Keep focusing on what you were focusing on?" Alicia asks as she now asserts her own will towards the sphere, willing the blue to return.

[Anastasia]

Slowly the crimson red is replaced by gray. A few flecks of gray-blue begin to appear as well.