Enough time has passed that Viper's Hold is looking less like a battleground and more like a town again, albeit a town with a heavy military presence. Imperial banners fly at the walls, and Nagai troops keep a watchful eye on the outlying villages spread from the central palisade from which Umeko governs. The destroyers are moored around the outskirts, while the Equalizer hangs above like a storm cloud, casting a wide shadow below. Aboard the dreadnought, the marshal of His Majesty's forces awaits in the war room.

"General, Captain, we must now seek out Beshret and his allies," Umeko says quietly as she enters to join them. Gone is the armor … now replaced by her zolk kimono that has been cleaned and pressed. "I would hear of your thoughts and plans, then we will also speak ours based on what we know of our opponents ahead." The Kiriga then grows quiet. She tries to stand tall (as much as her small frame allows), and slips her hands into her sleeves.

Close behind the reptile walks Anisa, herself appearing with a slightly relaxed confidence. Coming to stand at Kin's side, the Lapi crosses her arms, and stays quiet.

Hanging back a bit behind Anisa is Xander, wearing his (recently cleaned) mage robes and listening intently.

Beside Umeko is Lilac, who has borrowed a kimono that's a size too big for her. She looks tired, her eyes with darker circles than normal. She mimics Umeko's hand-in-sleeve stance, looking off and out a window.

The two Nagai officers are curled over a map in the center of the table. They look up and bob their heads respectfully when Umeko arrives, and it's Diamondback who speaks, straightening up with a rattle of his armor. In spite of rumors that the General sleeps in his armor, the plates all look freshly polished, even the dings hammered out. "Welcome, Governess. We've been going over what we know." The Naga runs his fingertip around the spot marked Viper's Hold. "The Dashers have been reconnoitering the outlying areas and as far north as could be reasonably scouted. They're reported significant bandit activity, though in all cases the enemy has turned tail rather than stand and fight. We suspect the lawless curs now anticipate our intention to bring order to this region, and will pillage any area that shows weakness." He taps villages marked on the map, mostly clustered around Viper's Hold itself, a few crossed off.

"Or they may be trying to lure you deeper so they can strike the forces left behind to secure the area," Umeko observes as her head cranes a bit so she can look at the map. "When I interviewed Crushcoil, he stated that Beshret's men were lying in wait for the Imperial forces to pass, then would strike the smaller forces left behind to eliminate them."

Both Naga nod grimly, and Captain Idrisc hisses, "Typical of anarchist scum."

"As this has the most direct bearing on your domain, Governess, I felt it should come to you and your advisers to decide how heavy you wish the garrison to be," hisses the General. "This will, of course, effect how much of an attack force we can muster."

Lilac stifles a yawn, turning off and covering her face before looking back to the map. Despite having been gone a while, she really hasn't said or done much since she returned, content to rest most of the time and, oddly enough, stare off into space. "By now they probably noticed I snuck Dragonfly out, too. They might suspect they have a spy in their base," she whispers to Umeko.

"And I have no reasonable suggestions for dealing with such an issue. We cannot simply stay here while they rampage. And we cannot afford to lose areas we have stabilized. What would you recommend, General? Captain? Mage Xander? Anisa? Lilac?" Umeko asks after a bit of thought. "And could we afford a lesser assault force if we left one or two of our stronger mages to bolster security here?"

It's the flagship captain that answers. "Mages would be worth a considerable number of men, certainly. One of the destroyers could also respond quickly to the various locales, but of course, you must weigh that against what you expect to face. Did you have some idea of how many ships they had?"

"Well we know Lord Artsy is a mage now, and we know he has several mages with him. He has a large force, but they're not perfect. I snuck in and out of the Temple several times. 'Many blind eyes equals one,' or so I've heard," advises Lilac. Then, she yawns again.

"I say attack the head, and the body dies," Anisa offers, stepping forward to study the map. "Beshret is the head, so he should be our main focus. It might mean temporarily giving up territory, but better we end this as swiftly as possible, instead of having our own forces whittled away at by engaging in pointless battles."

"Only what I counted and listed on the map I provided earlier," Umeko admits. "And their ships each contain mages as well. I agree with Mage Xander on this point, that their air support is our current greatest threat. Eliminating that would substantially improve our odds. However, a direct assault against an armada of mages is foolish. We should consider stealth attacks to down the shipyards. Do we have enough trained in covert operations to manage such?"

"I guess you didn't find any handy routes we could use to sneak in some commandos?" Xander whispers to Lilac.

Lilac whispers back, "You have to remember that I snuck in and out as a monster. I actually left the Temple of Being from inside the God of Being. That could be a way inside, but I don't want to go back there, and even if we did, there's no guarantee it wouldn't just … eat everyone."

"Maybe we can get another storm to provide cover then," Xander murmurs.

The General rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Yes, yes… it is standard practice for us to have skulduggerists. Rephidim may scoff at such tactics, but we use all tools available to us. If you believe a precision attack could make the difference, we can also bring more such specialists from Nagai, if required."

Umeko looks to Xander. "With your knowledge of battle tactics taught to mages, would precision strikes against their airfield be effective?" she asks.

To Anisa, Umeko says, "I agree with you to a point. I believe we need to cripple their air support before we go after the head. That will put them at a decided disadvantage. With no air support, we could bring the ships over the valley and strike from the air first, weakening them, before sending in troops. We would not need as sizable a force, then."

"I don't know why the storm came – or how to get another one," Lilac admits to Xander.

"That makes sense," Anisa says with a nod. "Just so long as we make Beshret our next target."

"The best way to disable the airships is with a coordinated strike from air and ground," Xander explains. "Keep them from launching or disable their navigation controls, then let the artillery take them down from range. Or else force them to launch prematurely by setting fire to the air base."

"Above all, we can't leave them as a possible means of escape for the leaders," the Lapi adds.

Umeko nods to Anisa, "I see two major targets here, airfield, then Beshret. The rabble can then be dealt with afterward. It should break morale as well." Remembering something else, Umeko looks back to Xander, "Mage Xander, how long would it take you to contact the Emirate?"

"A few hours, but I don't think they'll respond," Xander notes. "The distance is great, and there's unclaimed territory and a lot of water between the Beast Lands and their southern border. Unless Beshret and Hakuu have an overland escape route and allies on the other side of the Beast Lands, the Emirate will likely not react."

Lilac tilts her head to the side, looking distant. "I wonder if we could lure some of the animals from the Beast Lands to the base, and let them rampage against it," she considers aloud to Xander.

"I merely want to be certain they will not see our actions as a possible act of war against them. I also want to see about cutting off their supply lines," Umeko tells the mage. Then remembering something, she asks, "We have some of the Empire's most powerful fire mages with us, do we not?"

"I… don't know what would lure them," Xander admits. "They have more Desert Giants at the camp.Maybe we can stampede them like Umeko tried before."

Idrisc nods at Umeko. "As well as some air mages. The one assigned to the Equalizer is quite capable."

"How close do they have to be to enact a ritual? Would it be possible to use fire to obliterate the airfield from a distance?" Umeko asks next.

"A desert giant would be a good meal," Lilac suggests to Xander, turning to look at him with those tired eyes. "If a beast from the Beast Lands came, I'm sure they'd stampede to get away from it. If they can smell like I can, a bet some meat might draw the giant beasts after someone who raced ahead."

"Hmm, driving the Giants into the camp with controlled fire is possible too," Xander notes, and looks to Idrisc. "Do you think we could pull of a Rain of Fire ritual with what we have?"

The captain spreads his hands apart, then takes a crystal bottle to begin pouring a drink from it. "You would have to ask the Pyrelighter, mage. From what little I know, however, I would suspect you could collaborate on a spell of great power. However, I would be willing to bet that coming close enough to use it would not be without risk."

"I mean, lure the beasts of the Beast Lands into Beshret's camp," Lilac clarifies.

A pause, and Lilac adds, a bit louder so everyone can hear, "Don't forget that there are still researchers in the base, and that they're hostages."

"As would I, which then leads back to doing quick strikes against the airfield. Perhaps if we distracted them enough, we could then move the larger force closer for the major strike," Umeko muses. She looks to Anisa, then asks, "Would you be comfortable leading a small team against the airfield to disrupt it?"

The doe grins. "Only if that team enjoys breaking stuff as much as I do."

"Have we sent scouts to examine the airfield size yet?" Umeko asks the General and fleet-captain.

Diamondback shakes his head. "We have not ventured that far north, yet."

"I don't recall the barbarians having fliers," Xander comments.

Umeko rubs her chin. "And we may not need to. I have other allies I could ask to examine and tell me what they find; and they blend into the fields," she says. To Xander, she notes, "Then you have forgotten our battle in the air on our trip here."

Very visibly, Anisa flinches. She looks down at herself, and her paws quickly reach to her chest. "By Dagh… "

"The pendant?" Umeko asks Anisa quickly and worriedly.

"When I was-" Lilac suddenly pauses, her mouth half-open and all the color draining from her face. She quickly reaches up and clutches her ears, freezing.

Wordlessly, Anisa looks back up to Umeko. "Um… would you all mind terribly if we cut this meeting short?" She rubs at the crystalline outline under her shirt.

The two officers eye Anisa, but look askance at Umeko.

"What's that?" Xander asks, thinking Anisa is having a heart attack or something.

"Do … do you hear it," Lilac asks, her pale face turning to regard Anisa. "I … " She sucks in a breath, then bolts for the door.

Umeko shakes her head. "Adjourning the meeting for the moment is fine. We can finish the plans over dinner this evening," she says, "However, I will walk with you to make sure you are fine." To the General and Fleet-Captain, she says, "Please excuse me for a few minutes." When Lilac takes off in a run, Umeko rubs her forehead. "Mammals."

Nobody gets in Lilac's way, but the Diamondback and Idrisc look puzzled now. At Kin's word, however, the both incline their heads briefly. "As you will."

"What? What?" Xander keeps asking as Lilac rushes past.

"The Cinders may be up to something," Umeko offers to the General, "They are sensitive to their actions, is all. I will find out what is going on."

"Hear it?" The doe gives another start as Lilac bolts. "Y-yeah… Mammal issues. Girl mammal issues… so if you gentlemen don't mind?" Anisa grabs Umeko and Xander by the sleeves of their garments, and pulls them out with her to the hallway.

"I'll… talk to the Pyrelighter later!" Xander promises as he's dragged out.

Once out in the hallway, Anisa regains her composure, although her demeanor is much more sober now. "The pendant – it… beat, and its warm." Fishing the crystal out from under her collar, the doe holds it up for the others to see. "It only does that when something serious is happening… "

"Happening where though?" Xander asks. "Is it dangerous for you to be wearing it now?"

Umeko reaches for it, but stops before touching it. "It may mean the Cinders are close to their goal, then," she says with a deepening frown. "Then we are too late."

Dashing past startled crewmen, the whole train of mammals plus one Kiriga gets some odd looks, but nobody protests or gets in the way. Bursting topside, Lilac finds herself on a section of the Equalizer's upper deck, amidst rigging, coils of rope, sailcloth, and so forth. Unlike many airships, the dreadnought's upper deck is only partially open to the air, but the air is fresh and the wind stiffer.

Motioning for the others to follow, Anisa starts walking down the hallway. "Probably not – if they had, then it would have been worse. I think its trying to warn me about something." The doe catches sight of Lilac running down the hallway. "I think it got her too. We'd better go see what's up." The Lapi follows along, clutching the pendant with ears set back pensively.

Lilac seems to be running down the hall, having a muddled, and apparently one-sided, conversation with herself. "Oh, answer me! Why are you telling me?!" Usually pale, Lilac looks sheet-white, with an unsteady, even panicked, expression to her face. Her eyes are wide, and she clutches at her head like it might explode.

Xander hurries along, feeling a bit clueless, but worried about Lilac and Anisa.

On deck, Lilac races across to the railing, pitching her torso half over it as she catches it to stop her forward movement. She darts her gaze back and forth, as if searching for something. "Why are you telling me?!"

Kin shakes her head and follows after Lilac. "Or, she may be going insane from her trials," the Kiriga offers with a shrug. To Lilac, she calls out, "Telling you what?"

The exposed rhombus of the First Stone swings from its chain until Anisa takes hold of it. In the shade of the halls, it appears to be glowing faintly, not merely changing in color like it usually does. The glow is dim, and gradually fading.

Taking another look at the pendant and catching the fading light, Anisa's ears set back further. Biting her lip, she looks up to Lilac, and then back down to the pendant. "I think… I think I need to try and talk to it." She pulls the chain completely from her shirt, and begins to sit cross-legged on the deck. "You help Lilac. I'll find out what I can."

"It's in my head," Lilac wails, rolling off the railing to turn and face the others. When she look at the people behind her, her ears lay back, and she stammers, "Mother is coming," before turning back to stare off across the sky.

Kin nods, pats Anisa's shoulder, then heads towards Lilac. "How do you know?" she asks the human when close? "And why?"

"Whose mother?" Xander asks, looking off at the sky.

Once down on the deck, Anisa clasps both her paws around the pendant – almost as if in prayer – and closes her eyes. Her ears dart up momentarily at Lilac's words, but they soon settle back down, the doe visibly in concentration.

"The Temple of Being and I … I … we … " Almost hyperventilating, Lilac has to brace herself on the rail and wheeze a few breathes before she can spit out more. "We have a … connection. It must be … " she bites her lip, wincing as if the ideas she was spiting out were painful to utter, " … more … than I thought! Mother is coming. Its mother. The mother of the God of Being. The being with control of shape, beyond the God of the Temple!" To the open sky, Lilac yells, "Why are you telling me?! Why??"

"Wait… you mean someone who can control the God of the Temple?" Xander asks. "Is that who Hakuu needs?"

"Then we are too late already. We cannot secure the lands and go after the temple in time," Umeko says grimly and shakes her head. "We have already lost."

"Don't talk like that," Xander tells Umeko. "We still have to move ahead. All this tells us is… well, that someone is coming. Not that they've arrived anywhere, or are going to cooperate with Hakuu."

"M-Mother? Who is… Mother," Anisa asks gently, her eyes still closed and her attention still obviously focused on the rhombus. "Please… who is Mother, and what is she coming for?"

"NO! Someone who made it! It's Mother," Lilac answers, glancing back again. "She's coming, but I don't think she's arrived yet." She swings her gaze back to the horizon, searching. "Right? Right? Why won't you answer me now? Do you need me? Tell me!"

"Maybe she'll help us then," Xander muses. "Finding an army camped on her… creation… is sure to tick off a woman."

"We need to know how long we have," Umeko says and rubs her brow. "All affects on what we must do next."

"Okay, this Creator is coming from somewhere, presumably the Beast Lands, right?" Xander asks Lilac.

The First Stone's light has almost faded, but just before it goes out, both Anisa and Lilac can hear that strangely variant voice, distant and only barely. "Wounding… me. Mother… is coming."

"Yes, yes," Lilac stammers, nodding. ""Mother left for the Beast Lands. Mother has gone, as small beings do. I survive." Mother … is ancient. She should not be alive, she wasn't supposed to be! The Temple of Being told me there was a power even greater than it in the Beast Lands … And … the Temple is … " Her ears shoot up, then flatten. "Hurt!" She pushes herself upright, visibly shaking. "They're hurting it to bring her, I'm sure of it! It's calling for help!"

Anisa's ears strain forward, as if to hear faint whisper, her brow furrowing in frustration. "Wounding… you? Please, tell us more!" This time the doe's voice is much more audible, and her ears focus forward with intent, but eventually, her eyes slowly open. "Something's hurting it. Its scared."

"They must be digging into it, searching for its secrets," Umeko says with a sigh and rubs her nose tip. "It looks like we may need to go to the valley next, ships or not. If they obtain its abilities, or capture its mother… "

The stone's glow is gone. It sits inert again, simply playing between cyan and pale green as Anisa has become so familiar with.

"I told you! I warned you! Why didn't you listen to me?" Releasing an agonized cry, Lilac snaps her wings out. She looks over her should and says, quite shakily, "I have to go, it needs me! We need to leave now." She bites her lip, ears twitching, and adds, "I know it doesn't care," in a guilty-sounding voice, "but I can't just leave it. It called to me!"

"Sounds like she'll be upset with them, either way," Xander notes. "But, if they are focused on capturing her, then we need to divert their attention and proceed with the attack."

Anisa stares at the Stone briefly before rising to her feet, her head shaking. "I don't think that's it. It kept mentioning 'Mother' – it never mentioned anyone else." Dusting her pants off, she slips the pendant back under her collar. "I think whoever this Mother is, she's more than the Cinders bargained for – way more." The doe's eyes go wide at the sight of Lilac. "Someone grab her!"

"It didn't call to just you," Umeko nearly growls at Lilac, "Anisa too heard the call. It called to all those sensitive enough to hear it. You need to center yourself, Lilac. You cannot stop an army. Charging in alone is going to die, period, end of story. It may be a God, you are not. Calm yourself and we will deal with the situation as best we can."

Lilac hesitates, looking between the open air and her friends. "But," she stammers, waving a hand towards the direction of the Temple of Being, "you didn't hear it! Anisa heard it because she has that!" And she points at the crystal. "And, and if she … she knows … Doesn't Vandringer know too? Wouldn't he be closer?! I don't hear it anymore! It's weakening!" She takes a step back, bumping into the rail. "Please."

"What will you do though, Lilac?" Xander asks.

"Lilac, I heard it too," Anisa says pacing quickly to the human, "and I want to help as well, but Kin's right – we'll accomplish nothing if we rush in and get ourselves killed! Please, just come back from the railing, and help us plan. I may have heard it through the crystal, but the crystal chose me – and it's of the same ilk at the Temple. It chose us because it trusts us, and we can't let it down by being foolish. Please… just clear your head and help us."

"We do not even know if Vandringar is here," Umeko points out and steps towards the human. "Jumping at every emotion is not going to protect it. Surging ahead as one person against thousands will not save it. All that will happen is that you will surely die, and it may quickly follow you. What does that solve? We have been given warning, be thankful for that. Use that to guide our plans and actions from here on out with a calm head and a calm heart."

"I … " Lilac glances at Xander, seeming at a loss for an answer. She turns to listen to Umeko, ears wilting at her words. When Umeko finishes, Lilac continues to seem at a loss, looking between everyone present until she simply gives a whimper and sinks to her knees. "It saved Dragonfly's life," she breathes. "It's … it's… " And that's all she can sputter out before dropping her head in her hands and beginning to sob.

"Dragonfly… where is she?" Xander asks. "She was in there with you, right? Could she have heard this too?"

Anisa leans over, and strokes Lilac's hair. "It's okay," she says in a soft voice, "I promise I'll do everything I can to help – we all will. It called to us, so that means it's still there."

"But that does not mean you have to trade your life for its," Umeko notes quietly. "Or even that you can. One person cannot move a mountain; it takes the work of many. Look at Master Long Tooth; one of the greatest warriors in the world, and he knows he cannot stop an army alone. The will and desire to help is not always enough, Lilac. All have limitations. Together, unified, we can do something. We will do something." Her head rolls a bit so she can look to Xander and say, "I assume in her room."

"Do you think we should check in on her?" Xander asks. "She's got wings… if she reacted like Lilac she might have flown off already."

Lilac sobs while the other talk, seeming to have lost all her fight when she slumped to her knees. Her wings hang like a torn flag against the ground. "I thought," she begins, hiccuping and sobbing while she tries to talk, " … I thought it abandoned me. Dragonfly won't … she won't have heard it. D-dragonfly d-didn't p-pay the p-price." The human sucks in a breath, shuddering before admitting, "I did! It's part of me!"

Umeko considers that, then nods. "Go find her, please, Xander?" the Kiriga asks.

The golden dragon's brow arches a bit at Lilac's pronouncement. "What did you do?" she asks calmly and quietly.

Still stroking Lilac's hair gently as the human sobs, Anisa looks up to Kin, her face more serious than the reptile has probably seen. "We can't rush in, Umeko, but I do think this changes things a bit. As much as I hate to say it, we may not have time for the shipyards."

"Okay, I'll do that!" Xander says, and heads back below deck to find the Eeee scholar.

"I agree with you," Umeko tells Anisa. "The sand has begun to fall in the hourglass and we must end this before the last grain settles to its grave."

Lilac shudders when Umeko asks her what she did, and she can only shake her head before reaching out to hug Anisa. "I'm s-sorry," she apologizes into the doe's side, "I'm so sorry!"

"What did you do?" Umeko repeats her question; though not unkindly. "It may matter when planning what to do next."

"Shh, just relax, Lilac," Anisa says, cradling the human's head and continuing to stroke her hair. "But Umeko is right – when you're ready, you'll need to tell us what happened. Right now, you know more about what we're going up against than we do, and we need to know everything if we're going to stop Mother." She looks back to Kin. "Whatever it was, it sounded desperate. But… there may have been more than one. I heard several voices."

To that, Umeko nods, "Can you describe what they sounded like? It may not tell us much, but sometimes a voice can describe the person." She now goes to the railing and looks to the horizon.

"T-the Temple of Being has m-many voices," Lilac explains unsteadily, her shaking lessening somewhat. "It speaks … it speaks from everywhere, l-like a crowd. Male, fe-female, androgynous: everything. I-it's the size of th-this city. It is n-not afraid of 'li-little ones,' – us. If i-it hurts, i-it's … It must be … The harm, i-it would be h-horrible. Massive!" The woman swallows, then barks out, "T-the mages! It m-must be the m-mages!"

Xander returns, panting hard. "She's still in her room, and says she didn't hear anything, but gave me a look like she thought I was crazy," he reports. "She didn't throw anything though… that was unusual."

From the railing, Umeko can see the expanse of the Desolate Band stretch away from Viper's Hold, patches of scrub from the Savan dotting the harsh landscape, trying to eke out a living much like the residents of the town itself. Below the Equalizer's many gun decks, villagers and soldiers go about their business, little dots on the brown of the earth.

"If it's the same as the First Stone," Anisa says, shaking her head, "then size doesn't mean much, just power. Whenever I've been to the crystal's world, I feel like I'm on the brink of something much bigger – much more powerful, but I can't control it. Whatever this 'Mother' is, it must be a part of that power."

"Maybe," Umeko comments, eyes closed. "You are forgetting the power of many hands. One cannot move a mountain, many can. You said they did not know what the temple was … so they may be trying to dig it up. We cannot make assumptions without good facts to back them, Lilac. Otherwise we will plan poorly."

"It can r-revive the dead," Lilac admits, pulling away from Anisa to look up into her eyes. "I-I know, b-b-b-because I … I killed … " Her ears flatten against her head, and she suddenly can't seem to continue looking Anisa in the eyes anymore. "I killed Dragonfly," she wails, pushing her head back against the doe.

"And saving her cost you something, then," Umeko notes, "Since you said you paid a price."

At this, Anisa gives a start, looking down at the human with surprised eyes. "You… killed her? Why?" Bending down, the doe looks Lilac directly in the eyes. "Lilac, you have to tell us everything – about the Temple, about Mother, even the things you did. We have to know as much as we can, regardless of what happened."

"I just saw her, she's alive!" Xander says.

"Ahh," Lilac whines when Anisa pulls her gaze to her's. She tries to look away, but she doesn't seem to have the energy or strength to fight Anisa's grip. "I'm sorry," she repeats, looking a little lost. A swallow, and she forces herself to spit her story out, speaking slowly and shakily. "I … I wanted to make you proud. I-I was taken in b-by the monster, I thought I could … c-could use it. I s-saw her all alone, deep in the T-Temple. I t-thought she was a mage! A n-necromancer! I was afraid, and excited, and s-she was an eeee! The only race that w-would know I was there! I … " Lilac swallows again, grimacing and tucking her tail sharply, "I … attacked her. And, a-and, she died." Ears going from flat to splayed, Anisa can see the beginning of new tears glimmer at the corner of Lilac's eyes. "I r-read her journal. I knew my m-mistake! I was d-d-d-desperate, I took her corpse to the T-Temple, I r-r-read the petroglyps! I took a chance, and I let the water t-take us both." Lilac's eyes close, and she slumps a little in Anisa's arms, "And the Temple heard me. And, the T-temple agreed to save her. And, I … payed the price."

"Errr, what price?" Xander asks. "You didn't promise it your soul or anything, did you?"

Anisa holds the human up, nodding with a plain expression as she speaks. "And what was that price? What did this water tell you?"

Umeko, for her part, says nothing. She remains leaning against the railing, eyes closed.

"A p-pact," Lilac answers, her tone changing from shaken to quiet, almost emotionless. ""Something is c-created from s-something, never nothing," said the T-temple. I was scared. I feared being alone, more than I was." Lilac reaches up and places a hand on her chest. "H-how could I come back, w-with her b-b-blood on my lips?" Her hand runs down her front. "I d-didn't want to be alone. I'm s-such a fool." After traveling a distance, the hand finally stops. "A life for a life, that's the p-price I p-payed." The hand is resting on her belly.

Umeko's brow arches up and one eye opens. Her slitted iris flexes as she focuses on the human. "You paid more than that, Lilac," she notes quietly.

Lilac's words take a moment to register with Anisa, but once realization dawns, the Lapi's ears shoot up. "You mean… it… and you? You're having its… " A look of shock spreads across the doe's face.

Lilac's head lowers, and she wraps her arms around herself, pulling her knees to her chest.

Shaking her head, Anisa regains her senses. "Is there more? What do you know about the Temple and Mother specifically?" The doe gets to her feet, her expression still a bit puzzled. "Whatever happened, its in the past now. And as for your… um… current condition, that's a task for the future. Right now, we need to be planning."

"Or rather," the doe adds, "moving. I think we're running out of time."

Umeko continues in her soft voice, "You have tried and convicted yourself. You have placed yourself in your own hell. You have separated yourself from your friends, and you are now willing to die. All to erase an action. But you can't, you know. What was done, was done. What is now, is. What matters now is what you do. Are you willing to trust us? Are you willing to work with us and be honest with us from this moment forward?"

Xander just stands frozen, as if something inside his brain has shorted out. No smoke is coming from his ears at least, which in a fire mage wouldn't be totally unexpected.

Lilac breathes a sigh, burying her head against her legs. "I-I always t-trusted you," she answers quietly, "I just … couldn't … Couldn't f-face you." She licks her lips, then looks up, ears back. "The Temple of Being is at least as o-old as "many turnings of the stars," it told me. It was born of M-mother, who had m-mastery over being, b-but did not seek to grow, like the Temple does. The Temple of Being s-said she d-departed into the Beast Lands, and it thought she had died, like we d-do. It said she was "small as little ones are small." She must be l-like us, m-mortal some how, or small p-physically. B-but, she has great powers, powers to make the Temple of Being, powers to shape and form. S-she sounds like a goddess, even greater than the T-temple, in some ways, if not b-bigger."

"She was probably of the same people that made this," Anisa says, patting her chest. "I only know a little about them, but I know that they were indeed powerful. They all vanished eons ago, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if they were hiding, just beyond where we could look."

"Size does not always define one as powerful," Umeko notes, "Nor does she sound like she is a Goddess, but just another person on the path to enlightenment. Regardless, we cannot allow the Cinders to capture her, if they are even capable of it. So, I propose this. We leave a force here with a powerful mage. The remaining force we divide into two and strike the valley from both ends. While the main army of Beshret's is occupied, we move into the camp and temple and deal with Hakuu, his maidens, and end this."

"A First One?" Xander finally gets out. "Lilac gets pregnant by a God, and a First One is coming?"

"I guess we're about to find out, Xander," Anisa says. To Umeko, she nods. "That sounds like a plan. I say we start right now, at that." The doe turns on her heel, starting back for the cabin. "We'd better get prepared, and let Diamondback know how urgent it is."

"Y-yes," Lilac agrees with Umeko, slowly rising to her feet. "I will go, and e-end this." She keeps her gaze on the deck, running a hand to push her hair out of her face. "Y-you will need me to enter the T-temple of Being from outside the camp. You may n-need me to speak with the Temple of Being, or with … With Mother. She may … recognize the Temple, in me." A deep breath, and Lilac exhales softly, adding, "The Temple of Being is inside me. T-that's why I think it c-calls to me. T-that's why I can hear it, in my head."

"All of you prepare what you need, then. I will go speak with General Diamondback and arrange the plan," Umeko says and starts to walk away from the group. She then rubs her forehead with a thumb, adding, "I only hope this isn't the wrong course of action or too hasty. I don't like leaving our backs exposed this way."

"First Ones," Xander mutters again. "I… will talk to Pyrelighter. Yes… I can do that… "

"I'll sit here a while. I need to calm down," Lilac says. "Would someone bring me my flute? It should be with Gibson's things; I left it with him. And, oh," the human woman looks up, splaying her ears again, "you won't … tell him, will you?"