we are not truly immortal

[dark_light]

After Glass's party is over with, Amariah and Kas go home.

Amariah fetches down their alethiometers.

"It's about time I took care of Alethia's afterlife, whatever it may be," she says quietly. "What can the alethiometer tell you about what I'll find?"

Comments

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth peers at the one in Cam's hand and sends, wordless: Can you hear me? Tell Cam.

[truthwright]

The alethiometer tells Cam, "The truth-speaker is speaking to me."

Kas giggles again.

[lifes_sake]

"Yeah, it hears you," Cam reports to Elspeth. "Maybe you'll have better luck than me."

[her_imperial_radiance]

"What do we know so far?"

[lifes_sake]

"The Alethian afterlife isn't physically dangerous, but there's some sort of other hazard there that has knowledge and hungers for truth," says Cam. "Although come to think of it I'm not sure appeasing this hunger is the best bet, maybe it'd just eat us."

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth nods and sends again. Still wordless; Cam may have to take the reply in words but that doesn't mean it can't be helpfully unconstraining to send the question freeform. Tell Cam, please - what will happen exactly if he and I and Jellybean and Amariah and Shell Bell go to the afterlife here?

[truthwright]

The alethiometer tells Cam, "If you and the truth-speaker and the self-defining and the witch and the one whose daemon is unseparate go to the afterlife, you and the truth-speaker and the self-defining may please that which hungers for truth."

Kas says, "Wow, that was long. Do you guys want me to translate too?"

[lifes_sake]

"Yeah, in case you got different details than me."

[truthwright]

"Okay. It said that if Cam and Elspeth and Jellybean and Amariah and Shell Bell all go to the afterlife, Cam and Elspeth and Jellybean are the ones who might make the truth-wanting things happy. It doesn't mean that the rest of you can't make them happy, just that Cam and Elspeth and Jellybean have the best shot at it. And it called Cam 'Truth Wizard' and Jellybean 'Self-Defining' and Elspeth 'Truth-Speaker' and Amariah 'Witch' and Shell Bell 'Daemon Inside'."

[lifes_sake]

"I guess as far as it's concerned Shell Bell doesn't have any other defining characteristics, huh. Elspeth, ask what happens when the truth-wanting things are happy."

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth asks.

[truthwright]

"When those who hunger for truth are happy, they do not cause suffering," says the alethiometer.

"That one was pretty straightforward," says Kas. "Except for that thing about 'hurt' again, but I think it's given us as much as it's going to on that."

[lifes_sake]

"Okay. So wizards and Elspeth and possibly me-especially can calm down the truth-hungry... things... and then they will stop bothering people."

[she_sells_seashells]

"But anyone who goes will acquire a daemon. A square will show what you'd get," Shell Bell adds, "mine would be some kind of duck thing."

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth would apparently get a brightly colored parakeet.

[lifes_sake]

Cam's daemon would be a kickass hawk.

[dark_light]

"And if I understand it right, the reason you have to get them to do this is because your souls can't enter the afterlife - which means separation. I've done it, all witches do, but it's not fun."

[truthwright]

"It is not fun," Petaal confirms, curling around Kas's neck as a small black snake.

[dark_light]

"But it doesn't cause long-term trauma if it's done purposefully, and - can one of you ask the alethiometer if the associated pain can be wished gone?"

[her_imperial_radiance]

If I wish on a coin, can I separate from my daemon painlessly? Elspeth asks the alethiometer.

[truthwright]

The alethiometer says to Cam, "To separate from one's daemon is a thing of anguish."

"That means no," says Kas.

[lifes_sake]

"I wonder if Sarion could ignore it," says Cam. "How bad is it, Amariah?"

[dark_light]

"Bad. But I did it on the first try, on foot," Amariah says, "when the only consequence for failing was not being considered an adult witch till I managed. It's not as bad as having someone touch your daemon... I'm trying to think of comparisons you're familiar with but I've got nothing."

[her_imperial_radiance]

"I judgesighted Kas along with all the other Jokers. I could pass a taste of it on, if we assume it's similar for everyone," says Elspeth.

[truthwright]

"I don't see any good ways to tell," says Kas.