Getting the band together

[Anastasia]

Getting everyone together after that meeting is simple enough - even Emily thanks to the wonders of teleportation and gates. Everyone waits on you and...

Ball is in your court here.

[Corwin]

This conversation deserves a proper setting, and so they are all ensconced in the Cauldron's war room. Troop deployment and defensive positions decorate the illusionary displays upon the walls, but they are all ignored in favor of gathering around the round table at the center.

"Without further ado," Seira says, the room secure through the secrets of its construction and her divine will both, "Amaryl and I have met Io. It is his will that we do not spread word of his return beyond vague rumors. Emily, you may share this information with Alyssa, and those directly linked to Alyssa through outside ties. You know what I refer to. Only do so while you are in a secure location. If you are uncertain whether the location is secure, or a person is eligible, you may ask myself or Amaryl, or address such questions to Io in his realm."

[Anastasia]

Emily nods gravely at that, listening.

"Well good, that's progress," Donald says, "So what did Io say?"

[Corwin]

"Plenty. I'll hit the highlights first, and open the floor to questions. Two decades ago, shortly after our ascension, Alicia and I were approached by the Arbiter, believed to be the Incarnation of Balance by the old deities in the know. He revealed to us under the utmost secrecy that Ao, the Incarnation of Chaos, has tired of Creation and decided to do away with it, with Shar as his weapon. From that point on, we were part of this conspiracy to save Creation, forbidden to speak of it to anyone outside it, for doing so would mean Ao learns of it. And once the omniscient, omnipotent overdeity does so, he may well choose to end Creation right then and there, without waiting on Shar."

[Anastasia]

Donald starts to speak, stops...and stares. "Ao?" he asks, voice strained.

Elle falls back in her chair, as if in a faint. "We're doomed," she says, voice stricken.

Lady Sanzha....smiles. It's not a kindly smile, but it is a smile. "Ah, it seems we face only the most supreme enemy of them all. How fitting. I trust and pray you have some means of making this more than the impossible, Seira?"

Kascha...eeeps softly, closing her eyes tight. "No..." she murmurs, shaking her head. "You have a plan, Seira? Of course you have a plan. How are we going to stop this?"

[Corwin]

"Don't think of this in terms of punching Ao to death. We are charged with finding the Incarnation of Law, to start with. Io also believes that the Arbiter, who we believe to be the Incarnation of Balance, to be trapped somehow by Ao. If we manage to change that, we would have more than a fighting chance. And finally, this is a battle of ideas. If we manage to defeat Shar not only militarily, but with our message, we may well turn Ao's mind around. After all, he can always leave this Creation without destroying it."

She, too, smiles at her friends and family. "I've had a bit of time to get used to this, and I wouldn't have gotten you all involved if I hadn't believed we had a shot. Had I believed it was impossible, I would've started working on allowing you all to survive Creation's fall, the process all of you except Emily know as ascension as One in the Beyond."

[Anastasia]

"I think...." Emily begins, "A moment would serve us all, to get our thoughts together."

Elle makes a noise of vague agreement, "Do we have any idea where this lost Incarnation is?" Slowly brushing her hair back with her hand, slow and steady movements, "How can an Incarnation even be lost?"

"Then I chose the right time to explore lost arts," Lady Sanzha declares, "A slight reformation of the soul, not without risk but with victory obtained. Any path forward is one of supreme danger."

[Corwin]

Seira produces an ancient tome, pushing it across the table to Sanzha with her mind. "Io's treatise on ascension as One. The process is indeed similar, although I can give you a few tips once you feel ready to attempt it. Io believes that it would be a superior method rather than direct ascension within Creation's rules."

To Elle, she says, "My theory is that he was split in three, kept since in the most lawful of planes. Moore believes his disappearance is linked to 21, and since we're looking into finding it and Sylvie we might as well get there."

[Anastasia]

Sanzha takes the book, opens it and reads a moment. She then begins to turn pages, another and another, another and another. Soon a blur of pages, "This is thousands of pages long, and I have yet to find an end," she advises, "There is much to say about it."

"Logical enough," Elle seconds, "That's somewhere to work from, at least."

Emily makes a noise, "So what about Alyssa, what's her role in this and why did Io empower her?"

[Corwin]

"The Arbiter, Zaphkiel and Io have worked together to provide Creation with champions, expanding the conspiracy through their power," Seira informs her daughter. "The lich Sylian is also involved in some way, and Oberuth is his champion there. While I could tell you more, it would be best if you brought Alyssa over to Io's realm and she learned the truth in person."

To Sanzha, she says, "This task takes the utmost priority. If Io's method makes the process much easier and safer, it might not be just you who undergoes it."

She claps her hands afterwards. "Any other follow-up questions, or are we ready to proceed? There is more excitement to be shared."

[Anastasia]

"Go on," Elle bids as everyone takes that in, "Is it another fireball of a revelation? Why stop at one? Bombard us with them."

Emily nods to that, "I'll let her know immediately."

[Corwin]

"The prohibition against talking about this with anyone else, and checking with us first if you are unsure is paramount," Seira tells Emily, using her divine voice to make the point. "Impress that if she doesn't adhere to these non-negotiable rules, she may immediately doom all of Creation in a single word. Don't end Creation."

Judging the matter settled, she looks over those gathered at the table. "All of us, we're it. Our group here, Alyssa's team, Alicia's most faithful, that Celestial pixie, Moore, and one of his Aurora pals, Tryll. Roughly twenty of us, plus Oberuth. There won't be more, as all the power and influence our benefactors had has been spent on this. And yet, it's still an order of magnitude more than we had even yesterday. My friends, I cannot stress how happy I am that I can talk to you all about this now."

Seira doesn't linger on that, however, instead summoning up the image of the events she and Alicia had experienced twenty years previous. Prophecy or not, phrasing might be a factor and she wants all those involved to know of it.

[Anastasia]

Thus all the memories are taken in, everyone silent after.

"I think," Elle finally says, "We need time to think about this. Time to digest it all and come to terms with it. You've had twenty years, we've not yet had twenty minutes."

"Definitely," Kascha seconds, "Is there anything else, Seira?"

[Corwin]

"Yes. Kascha, I'm going to use Io's power to ascend you. I feel it would give us the strongest boost right now, while the One ascension is not for you. Not right now, at least." She looks over at Sanzha. "How long do you need to understand Io's notes properly?"

[Anastasia]

"Me?!" Kascha turns, wide eyed and sputtering.

"Kascha?!" Donald seconds, then grins and slaps her back hard, hard enough to make her face plant into the table. "Congratulations and ow, you okay?"

"It...makes sense," Sanzha says, then smirks, "Yes, I agree with Seira's logic."