Victorious advance

[Ebiris]

She's back at normal size to get up that tunnel easily but ascending fast as she spares a bit of focus in replying to Syala.

Your avatar should have just met the prisoner I sent over. I drove off the Grand Sultan and his Dao allies, it looks like it's down to the battle against Imix now.

[Anastasia]

Dustfire's withdrawing. They weren't too committed to the attack, it felt like a token effort. Antenora briefly talked to him, she says he seems unhappy about it but obeys Eblis.

[Ebiris]

Good, be on the surface momentarily.

And it only takes her a few more seconds to reach there with judicious spatial compression, no longer having to hide that special ability now the cat's out of the bag.

[Anastasia]

For now, the line has held. The efreet attack has been stopped, pushed back to ranged skirmishes on a glance. Your forces have helped everything hold, now helping with the general defense and recovery.

Invigorating. They've ceased their press on this section of the line, at least for now. How was it below?

[Ebiris]

Flying over to regroup with Antenora and Syala, Alicia looks over the battlefield to see where they can best put themselves to use, the battle with Imix out of their hands now unless their friends lose. "A qualified success. I drove off the Grand Sultan but wasn't able to manage anything decisive. The attendants he summoned to keep me busy are all dead or captured. I understand Zamar Nazari has a long history of protecting various sultans that just ended - disgusting cannibal, I'm glad for that. The Slayed wasn't much, and Almas Al'Aswad surrendered rather than face sonic destruction. Gated him over to Sylica until I figure out what to do with him. The Grand Sultan and Dao fled while I handled those three. How was it up here, anyone notable appear besides Dustfire?"

[Anastasia]

"Assuming the Sultan doesn't bring himb ack or there isn't a clone," Syala says idly, "So in light of him potentially returning, did you destroy or take his possessions to set him back?"

As Syala looks over the battlefield, Antenora points. Right now the line has held, only a few projectiles traded between the sides. "Just Dustfire. He was confused, unhappy. He didn't say it in so many words, but I got the impression he was unhappy with Eblis and doesn't understand what he's doing, but is too terrified of him to resist."

[Ebiris]

"Had enough time to scoop it up before I came back here, we can sort it all later though," Alicia nods. "Slayed wasn't much but Zamar took a lot of punishment to go down so I think he was the real thing." She casts her own superior godly vision around, looking to see if there's any threats or problems to worry about.

[Anastasia]

No - this area is momentarily clear, the enemy forced back and recovering well away from the lines, regrouping and remustering with new forces.

"I'm not clear on this," Antenora admits, "Could Zamar's soul fly into a prepared clone or similar situation, or could the Sultan have set as much up? As I recall, wasn't one of the Crimson Guard's enemies found to have been preparing his own clone?"

[Ebiris]

"The mechanics of the Clone spell rely on the dichotomy between flesh and soul in mortals - when the body expires the soul is released and travels to the Well of Souls, unless a Clone spell is prepared in which case it gravitates towards that inert flesh and animates it," Alicia says in a somewhat dry tone like she's giving a lecture. "The situation where a soul creates its own body in the case of an outsider is different, as when slain on their home plane their essence disintegrates into the stuff of their home - there is no coherent soul anywhere in Creation to be called on or manipulated. It's possible Kossuth or perhaps even the Grand Sultan may be able to bring him back in that case, it's the purview of great powers or extremely potent magic."

[Anastasia]

"Well, that's an easy solution," Syala says, "If we see signs of the Sultan doing that, we'll need to start employing soul trapping."

Antenora nods, taking in the lesson.

[Ebiris]

"Difficult to manage on the fly in a pitched battle, but yes that or simply capturing prisoners alive is always a good way to be sure you'll have control over their final disposition," Alicia agrees easily.

[Anastasia]

Meanwhile...

Going to do anything immediately?

[Ebiris]

Holding defensively for now to see how things play out with Imix.

[Anastasia]

Sure thing, let me pause you.

[Anastasia]

Give me Perception?