gideonpepys
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
Session 242, Part One
Awkward Conversation
“It’s done,” said Uriel, shaking himself free for speech. He looked wan. “I have told our reflected selves that we will find a way to send the golden icons to them. I could not summon them to me, as am able to other items I have known. But I think I have hit on the means.” He looked at Kai. “You will be the link; I will send the icons to you. When we reach the Gyre.” Kai nodded to show his approval and squeezed his father’s hand. An important task! Uriel continued: “I was able to summon the golem heart from the volcano, though. They now have a means to recreate Conquo.”
The group had stood in awkward silence while Uriel made the impromptu attempt, with Gupta and Korrigan lending their aid when it was needed. Now that he was done, they became aware of that awkwardness. The graveyard was silent. Srasma was gone; the eladrin ghosts were all gone too.
Korrigan turned to Gupta. “Why did you do that?” he asked.
“This was the path that was offered to me,” she said.
“I didn’t hear that option,” said Korrigan.
“You were there when we heard the song of Vekesh. I chose the missing verse.”
“Well, if you laid the choices out in front of me, I would have advised you against this course of action, but I wouldn’t have opposed you. What’s done is done.” They could all hear the unspoken accusation: that Gupta had turned down the opportunity to restore thousands of eladrin women to life.
Gupta said, “It is a realisation of my destiny. No forethought was involved, but I’ve no regrets. I won’t squander the power I’ve been given.”
“I hope so. I have seen many times before how people are corrupted by power.”
“You are empowered by Risur.” Gupta did not need to add that he was uncorrupted.
“And you by all women; your realm is greater than mine.”
Korrigan went on to say that he did not think gods were good for people (which is why he had let the unit deal with the situation in Alais Primos, lest his personal feelings got in the way). Uriel agreed: “Not in the way they are used by the clergy, perhaps.”
Kasvarina now spoke: “These gods are eladrin gods. Humans make gods to be worshipped. The eladrin create them in celebration. Gupta’s choice was to accept the short-lived gift of a dead god. What the eladrin need is a new, living goddess of womanhood.”
Korrigan scowled. He did not agree.
Uriel said, “All I know is, the more power you have, the more rules the universe puts in place to bind you.” He gestured to Uru. “Soon you will be unable to move beyond the mountains, for fear of angering the other titans.” Uru didn’t mind; he liked the dark places he would soon rule; why leave? Uriel went on: “As a goddess, you will be worshipped, and wield great power, but you will be confined in that power, like the king on a chess board.”
Korrigan said that he respected Gupta’s decision and again hoped it was for the best. Leon was asked how he felt, as a Vekeshi and member of the Unseen Court and his response was as sanguine as always; Kasvarina was clearly in support, despite everything she had lost as a result. Miller said nothing, but looked around his empty monument blankly.
Then they noticed that Rumdoom was scowling. “Loyalty is a two-way street, Korrigan,” he said. “You didn’t step in when we needed you. I need to know that in a fight my back is safe but your inaction has made me question that. Here we are, at the end of times and the Avatar of the End has his destiny to fulfil. Are we really on the same street, you and I?”
Korrigan’s response was dismissive. “How many times have you been absent when we needed you? I will take such criticism from Gupta; not from you.” With that, he set off down the trail back to the lighthouse. They all followed in frosty silence. The cracks were beginning to show. They weren’t the ‘unit’ any more, but coalition of hugely powerful individuals, each with destinies of their own to fulfil.
As they went, Uru came up alongside Uriel and asked him quietly what happened back on Lanjyr. Uriel told him everything: how they had battled the Ob strike force and won. “I managed to free Cyneburg from dominance. Sadly,” he said, “the Royal Technologist fell before I could help him.”
“Finally!” said Uru, who, it would appear, had a very long and inexplicable naughty word-list.
Awkward Conversation
“It’s done,” said Uriel, shaking himself free for speech. He looked wan. “I have told our reflected selves that we will find a way to send the golden icons to them. I could not summon them to me, as am able to other items I have known. But I think I have hit on the means.” He looked at Kai. “You will be the link; I will send the icons to you. When we reach the Gyre.” Kai nodded to show his approval and squeezed his father’s hand. An important task! Uriel continued: “I was able to summon the golem heart from the volcano, though. They now have a means to recreate Conquo.”
The group had stood in awkward silence while Uriel made the impromptu attempt, with Gupta and Korrigan lending their aid when it was needed. Now that he was done, they became aware of that awkwardness. The graveyard was silent. Srasma was gone; the eladrin ghosts were all gone too.
Korrigan turned to Gupta. “Why did you do that?” he asked.
“This was the path that was offered to me,” she said.
“I didn’t hear that option,” said Korrigan.
“You were there when we heard the song of Vekesh. I chose the missing verse.”
“Well, if you laid the choices out in front of me, I would have advised you against this course of action, but I wouldn’t have opposed you. What’s done is done.” They could all hear the unspoken accusation: that Gupta had turned down the opportunity to restore thousands of eladrin women to life.
Gupta said, “It is a realisation of my destiny. No forethought was involved, but I’ve no regrets. I won’t squander the power I’ve been given.”
“I hope so. I have seen many times before how people are corrupted by power.”
“You are empowered by Risur.” Gupta did not need to add that he was uncorrupted.
“And you by all women; your realm is greater than mine.”
Korrigan went on to say that he did not think gods were good for people (which is why he had let the unit deal with the situation in Alais Primos, lest his personal feelings got in the way). Uriel agreed: “Not in the way they are used by the clergy, perhaps.”
Kasvarina now spoke: “These gods are eladrin gods. Humans make gods to be worshipped. The eladrin create them in celebration. Gupta’s choice was to accept the short-lived gift of a dead god. What the eladrin need is a new, living goddess of womanhood.”
Korrigan scowled. He did not agree.
Uriel said, “All I know is, the more power you have, the more rules the universe puts in place to bind you.” He gestured to Uru. “Soon you will be unable to move beyond the mountains, for fear of angering the other titans.” Uru didn’t mind; he liked the dark places he would soon rule; why leave? Uriel went on: “As a goddess, you will be worshipped, and wield great power, but you will be confined in that power, like the king on a chess board.”
Korrigan said that he respected Gupta’s decision and again hoped it was for the best. Leon was asked how he felt, as a Vekeshi and member of the Unseen Court and his response was as sanguine as always; Kasvarina was clearly in support, despite everything she had lost as a result. Miller said nothing, but looked around his empty monument blankly.
Then they noticed that Rumdoom was scowling. “Loyalty is a two-way street, Korrigan,” he said. “You didn’t step in when we needed you. I need to know that in a fight my back is safe but your inaction has made me question that. Here we are, at the end of times and the Avatar of the End has his destiny to fulfil. Are we really on the same street, you and I?”
Korrigan’s response was dismissive. “How many times have you been absent when we needed you? I will take such criticism from Gupta; not from you.” With that, he set off down the trail back to the lighthouse. They all followed in frosty silence. The cracks were beginning to show. They weren’t the ‘unit’ any more, but coalition of hugely powerful individuals, each with destinies of their own to fulfil.
As they went, Uru came up alongside Uriel and asked him quietly what happened back on Lanjyr. Uriel told him everything: how they had battled the Ob strike force and won. “I managed to free Cyneburg from dominance. Sadly,” he said, “the Royal Technologist fell before I could help him.”
“Finally!” said Uru, who, it would appear, had a very long and inexplicable naughty word-list.