Relief

[Nephrite]

"Ascetic." Moore greets her. "I come to you to ask for a favor. We seek your strongest follower - yet not in arms, in fact, the opposite. We seek one who has taken a Vow of Peace. We..." A breath in and out. "We are going to save the Hecatoncheires."

He says the last part as if it's simply a sure thing. It is known.

Because there is always hope.

[Anastasia]

"I understand," Pistis Sophia says simply. "You are right to seek one of both strength and peace. Without vast strength, the Hecatoncheires will rend them apart in moments. Without great peace, fury cannot be abated."

[Nephrite]

"My words are insufficient." Moore says - a tinge of regret. "But I think that they will be able to save it, to bring it from its hopelessness and to hope. For... whatever it is worth, we have ways and means of protecting them, whoever it is you have in your mind."

[Anastasia]

"Tell me more of what you want," Pistis Sophia invites as you walk.

[Nephrite]

"Hm..." Moore hums once. "We need someone, as you said, who may be able to survive blows with it." Moore says. "But beyond that... someone who embodies the merits and values of peace and hope above all else. I... have a sinking suspicion that Shar may try and intervene if we were to be able to start to win it over, which is why I say this. Someone who could talk to it... I don't know that they need to have to have a silver tongue like I do, but I think being able to communicate the virtues of Celestia would be a boon to us."

[Anastasia]

"If Shar chooses to meddle," Pistis Sophia points out, "Do you have an answer to that?"

[Nephrite]

"The answer is a force of arms against her." Moore says. "We faced her recently and had to flee, but... she wouldn't be fighting on her own terms again. I believe we could triumph."

[Anastasia]

"And if she brings allies or provokes the Hecatoncheires into a rage?" A simple question, calm, but ever so pointed. "She may merely need to enter his sight to dash your plans awry."

[Nephrite]

"...A valid concern." Moore says. "I don't know what we would do in that situation."

[Anastasia]

"That was her purpose with that communication," Xandra realizes aloud, voice soft, "With a few words she all but told us she can interfere in any effort we try. Unless, of course, we manage to do it in a way that she's not aware of."

[Nephrite]

"There isn't a lot we can do about her ability to interfere." Moore says. "Unless we pulled her interest somewhere else, but I don't know if that would work. I also don't trust our ability to do anything that someone like her wouldn't notice - we're not especially the stealthy types."

[Anastasia]

"So we know are options are sharply limited," Xandra remarks, "Perhaps the key is to lure the Hecatoncheires somewhere that neutralizes those advantages."

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "I wonder if it can leave the Abyss at all?" He rubs his chin. "If it can, we could probably take it somewhere that Shar couldn't so easily interfere, but I'm not sure where we could actually take it where that'd be the case. I don't even know if we can do that part... but it's worth pursuing as an option. Actually, hm..."

Actually, maybe a K:P for 119 will tell me that? Can the Hecatoncheires leave the Abyss

[Anastasia]

As far as you know, yes, it can.

[Nephrite]

"If we work on the assumption that it can leave and go somewhere else, where's the most advantageous place for us?" Moore asks. "Positive Energy? Well, maybe we should work out how we're going to lure it anywhere before we try and figure out where to go."

A turn to Pistis Sophia. "I apologize, I should've come up with this before we came here, but given the severity of this circumstance, I hope you can forgive me for taking your time up like this."