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

[she_sells_seashells]

Shell Bell taps her Janegem. She and Sherlock and their daemons disappear from Alethia.

[dark_light]

"Who else is coming along to the mountain, who's staying here, and who's going home?" Amariah asks.

[lifes_sake]

"I'll come if you want me to - I'm not a physical combatant by any stretch of the imagination but if we're going to try negotiation I might have an advantage at it. Jokers get along better with harpies but we don't know about angels."

[endragoned]

"I am coming," says Aianon.

[truthwright]

"Me too," says Kas.

[pythbox]

"I'll stay here," says Sue.

[small_magics]

"Beloveds, I would not want to unduly distract you in your possible fight against angels," says Sarion.

[endragoned]

"Would you rather go home, then?"

[small_magics]

"Only if you will find me distracting. I am perfectly comfortable."

[endragoned]

"Not such a distraction that I couldn't kill an angel if I had to," he says, kissing her on the cheek.

[small_magics]

"You must let me know if I should move, of course," she says, running her hand through his hair.

[endragoned]

"We will," rumbles Ansharil.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Am I useful past this point? Since you didn't need me for the harpies."

[dark_light]

"You could also beat up angels, but so can Aianon; if you'd rather go home, go for it."

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Okay. Bye, everybody."

Elspeth goes.

[dark_light]

"Okay. Let's see about batch-teleporting."

And Amariah attempts to pick up everyone in the landing party and go to the Authority.

[pythbox]

In a word, no.

[dark_light]

Close-as-can-be, like how she found the dock, then.

[pythbox]

And—

They're all in the air, high above a thick layer of clouds, right next to a mountain that seems to sprout out of them and drag them up its slopes. The summit is completely misted over.

[dark_light]

Amariah flies. Up.

[lifes_sake]

Cam follows.

[endragoned]

Likewise the Jokers.

[dark_light]

The party ascends through the mist. Pattern's upgrade to the standard vision boost has propagated through the peal; both Bells can see through it if they want, which occurs to them after a few seconds of blind flight.

And this mountain -

Is definitely inhabited by angels.

[pythbox]

The very top of the mountain is still enclouded; apparently there is something magical about the mist there.

But they have another problem.

The first angel who sees their party squeaks and flees, beating insubstantial wings; a scant minute later, in a thunder of ghostly feathers, what seems like every angel in the mountain all come pouring out every available crevasse and make straight for Aianon, dragging at his wings and battering him with their misty limbs.

[endragoned]

...What am I to do? he wonders into the link, letting the celestial mob drag him slowly away from the mountain.