As Elise, disguised and invisible, crouches outside the mages' ritual circle, she hears muffled conversation as the guard Azto awakens Master Sudi. Beside her, the mages continue their chanting unabated. Footsteps sound from the room the guard had vanished into, while the one left behind frowns, noticing a glow from where she had left the disrupter.

"What's – " The Eeee is leaving his post to investigate, even as the chanting Naga stumbles over his next phrase. Tendrils of light flash out from the disrupter, and it revolves against the ground, quickly gaining speed. Whipping flares of light crack the base of the altar and blow away the marks of their magic circle, as one of the Eeee mage screams, "No!" and reaches for the device.

But it is too late, much too late. The whips of light blur together into a white blaze that silhouettes every form in the room, turning them into stark black outlines before it consumes all sight. The sound of the last mage, still desperately chanting, along with the outraged cries of the others, are all alike drowned by a dull roar of noise that accompanies the light.

Deafened and blinded, the canine intruder blinks vainly as a wave of dizziness passes over her. Reflexively, she drops her hand to the ground to support herself, and shakes her head to clear it. The motion only intensifies the sensation of vertigo. Abstract shapes blur across the white haze of her vision, and then – nothing.

Here, scale and distance seem malleable, and many things that one "sees" would be impossible to paint upon canvas, if the viewer were to return with a complete memory of it to the waking world. Far below, the city of Babel is seen resting upon the earth, but at the same time, the land can be seen to have the shape of the corpse of a colossal female Eeee, earthen-furred with hair of green, sprawled out and half submerged in the endless expanse of the ocean.

In the "sky" contained in the expanse of the heavenly hall, the stars are visible, yet at the same time, somehow the viewer can plainly pick out the constellar images that they purportedly describe: The Horrib, The Hunter and Grok, the Little Grok, the Chalice, the Thief, and more besides.

A series of three glass platforms, suspended by no visible means, form center stage of this drama, creating a multi-tiered plaza. The northern most platform consists of stepped tiers which lead up to a magnificent throne of brushed platinum, carved with runes, inset with gems, with massive carved wings sweeping back from behind it. A plush scarlet carpet marks the path to the seat.

On the throne waits Saraizadze, High Princess of Babel, and ruler of the Ashdod Territories, flanked on her right by Thath – her Grand Vizier, Consort and husband. With the curious logic of dreams, both figures seem in keeping with the grand scale of this hall, without seeming themselves tobe giants, though in some undefined way Saraizadze seems larger than her husband – or perhaps simply more real, more important. The High Princess, already beautiful in real life, seems all the more perfected here, and likewise Thath is idealized … for though he is quite old enough to be her father – and, some say, grandfather – he looks here to be in the prime of his life, with snow-pale fur and long raven-black hair hanging down behind his ears to disappear behind his wings.

At the foot of the throne's platform, a thin bridge leads south to the flat central platform, larger and lower down than either of the two before and behind it. Further south, another bridge reaches the final platform, marked by a white path of bone on the winding steps that lead to its pinnacle – one lower than great throne to the north.

The southern tier is topped by a giant slab, tilted upward, much like a torture rack, with no greater comfort in evidence for the occupant, Morpheus: a jet black hybrid of Khatta and Eeee, of ideal proportions and musculature, save that his chest bears a horrible wound, looking as if his very heart has been ripped out of his ribcage.

Amazingly, and against all reason, blood pumps in small trickles out of this wound (even though the pump is obviously missing), and by the ragged rise and fall of his chest, somehow this wound is not yet fatal. Round about the black feline/bat are seven chains leading outward from himself to the figures of six female Eeee, while the seventh chain is broken.

To those acquainted with the Seven Sisters, the bound figures seem both familiar and strange, at the same time. The green Eeee that should be Gorphat has fur with the luster and sheen of new grass, and flowers sprouting from her hair. The red-haired woman who might be Blakat holds not a sword, but a globe that shifts with scenes of a serene world, cloudy and clear, light and dark, the climate changing but remaining harmonious. Rephath holds her balance like a cornucopia, missing the dagger, but overflowing with fruits from one end, and choice insects from the other. Zakaro's runes have a whimsical look, rather than dark or intent, and she smiles with genuine mirth. Barada holds out her scrolls unfurled for any to see who would look. Sunala seems least changed from hernormal self – somber, but raven-haired, and with normal eyes.

The six Sister-figures appear frozen in place, and insubstantial, like translucent statues, yet there is a sense of life to them. As with Thath and Saraizadze, both the statues and Morpheus seem strangely in scale with the world-stage – undiminished by its grandeur, though Morpheus dominates this section of the drama.

On the central platform stand six demon warriors – three guarding the bridge to the throne, three the bridge to the slab upon which Morpheus is held. Each one is a cross between an Eeee and another dumb beast or bug, each one roughly humanoid shape, and possessing wings – bat wings only if the beast in question does not normally have wings of its own:

From the ground, and from distant platforms and buttresses, a multitude of seemingly faceless, vaguely defined Eeee watch the proceedings. Unlike the main actors, the audience seems inconsequential, lost in the backdrop of the world – notable not as individuals, but only for the sheer quantity of them.

Inala, Goddess of Pleasure, descends from the clouds to alight upon the suspended plaza. Her fur is perfectly white, so much so as to shame the sun, and the exquisitely bejeweled trappings that adorn Her seem to be there for the sole purpose of accenting Her own beauty by showing how much these precious materials and flawless works pale in comparison to Her own divinity.

Inala holds a sceptre, and upon the tip of this sceptre is a heart … a heart of living crystal and flesh that pumps in place even while mounted atop the sceptre. The demon-guards stand aside, bowing to scrape the ground as, with flawless poise and grace of movement, Inala ascends the steps leading up to throne. To the strains of stringed instruments, drones, chimes and flutes, She presents the sceptre at last to Saraizadze. As Saraizadze takes the sceptre, her own beauty seems to grow, making her a sight to behold that rivals that of Inala – not that any physical change has take place in her appearance, but rather that somehow those watching have amazingly missed realizing just how fabulous Saraizadze truly was before.

As the presentation takes place, a mage in robes of black and gold steps forward, previously unnoticed beside Saraizadze's throne. "Your Worship," he begins, "though Inala presents You with the Heart of the Creator, Her sisters were not so strong, and were unable to break free of Him. To claim what is rightfully Yours, You must complete the ritual of the Seven Wounds, and take the power of the Creator for Yourself."

Saraizadze silently nods at this, and draws forth a cruel-looking sword that bears an uncanny resemblance to an oversized surgeon's scalpel, fashioned of the hardest black chitin with a faintly reddish tint. She rises from her throne, her chin upward at a regal cant as she strides past Inala and down the steps toward the plaza.

It is not only the court of Saraizadze that watches these events unfold. Alone at the center of the middle platform, two non-Eeee stand. Lieutenant Elise Antoine de Bellefeuille is decked out in armor and robes of lustrous blue and silver, filigreed with the coat of arms of House Bellefeuille and the holy sign of the Star and Anchor. She is mounted astride Secrets, the winged Drokar, barded in a matching coat of blue and silver, and upon Secrets's flank hangs a shield emblazoned with the Star and Anchor in silver against a field of blue. Conspicuously, a banner pole rises from the saddle behind her, upon which flaps the flag of Rephidim, making it a wonder that anyone hasn't objected to its presence by now.

Beside her, lacking a mount, but having wings of her own, is Mage Envoy of Lothrhyn, adorned in flowing robes of amber. A snowy tabard over the robes settles the rune of Earth upon her chest, and the platform around her feet churns with earth and fresh-grown grass. A spectral glow surrounds her hands and her horn.

From upon her mount Lady Elise Antoine de Bellefeuille turns her gaze from the throne, her eyes following the movement of High Princess Saraizadze. As the Princess approaches, the lady's expression changes from indifferent observation to deeply disapproving frown. "Such power is not to be had by murderous mortals such as yourself, High Princess. Hold where you are," she intones, voice resounding in the silence of the great expanse.

Envoy spreads her wings, and glares with hatred at Saraizadze. "You'll not get past us, Princess."

Looking more like a goddess than a mere ruler, Saraizadze soars towards the platform opposite her own, sable-brown wings wide-spread and glowing with vitality. As she glides over the heads of the three demons who guarded the throne bridge, she casts her gaze down upon the outspoken two below and before her. "Who are you?" she hisses, not pausing. "You are strangers here. You have no right to interfere, no reason to be in this place. Gronegk, Ephasto, Rugharo – remove them." At her words, the three demons dip in graceless bows, and as one they flap towards the two interlopers.

Taking to the air, Envoy chases after Saraizadze, the spell in her left hand trailing streaks of amber light.

Elise lifts her head to watch Saraizadze's flight, eyes narrowing. "We are they who oppose you. We are they who have stood against you since you began upon this terrible path. We are they who will stop you!" The poodle's hand lifts to gather her shield around her arm, while the other draws forth her blade in a quick motion. Her feet then move to spur her mount as her shield hand grips the reins, directing her flying Drokar into the sky so as to move to meet the demons. "Secrets, to flight!"

Rugharo leaps to intercept Envoy, jumping and flapping powerful wings to gain a height advantage over her, than bulling down upon her back, as the Aeolun rushes the princess.

Envoy tries to twist out of the demon's path, letting loose her banshee-scream against the monster.

The snowy Drokar tosses his head and bounds into flight, wings spread. Ephasto and Gronegk move to intercept him and his rider while their fellow demon laughs at Envoy's shriek. "I'll make you scream louder than that, girl," Rugharo growls, and one meaty fist slams into her side.

The Aeolun is knocked aside, and sings out a trigger phrase. The light of her horn fades as she casts her spell of Stone Strength upon herself while trying to recover from the blow.

The poodle eyes the monsters she is about to meet, and seeing that Envoy now deals with one, turns to deal with the other two. To this end she keeps her mount back and exchanges her sword for her dagger which she holds aloft as if ready to throw. Her narrowed eyes judge the approach of the two demons towards her and she holds upon throwing the dagger until they grow close to each other, and near enough where they are in range. She aims carefully at Ephasto during this time and waits for the best chance to fling the double-edged implement into the bat/eep in an effort to detonate it while it is close to its partner.

The High Princess pays scant attention to the brawl forming beneath her, serenely gliding to her destination. She holds the heart-sceptre in her left hand while her blade glistens in her right.

As Envoy finishes the held ritual, her fine fur seems to harden and darken, taking on an appearance suggestive ever-so-slightly of amber, hard and resilient, her muscles more defined. The ache in her side from the recent blow dulls to a degree, while her muscular assailant hesitates, flapping his wings to hover above her, having knocked her down a few yards with his punch.

Envoy lets herself drop away further from the demon, focusing on the glass platform that Saraizadze is heading for. Thrusting out her right hand, she releases her Reshape spell at it, singing to urge the glass to fold up and form a protective box around Morpheus.

Ephasto proves a little more swiftly than his grok-Eeee counterpart, and Elise attempts to capitalize on the eep-demon's lead by throwing her dagger just as the demon passes Gronegk. Ephasto's eyes widen at the sight of the weapon bearing down upon him. Fur and feathers puff out in all directions, trembling for a few moments, then he explodes!

The radius of the explosion proves greater than the canine had anticipated, and Secrets looses a high-pitched scream as he is buffeted backwards by its force, tumbling through the air, his rider desperately hanging on. Gronegk shrieksas well, folding his chitin-covered body into a ball protectively, as a hunk of chitin tears loose from his face, arcing backwards.

The glass seems reluctant to yield to Envoy's command, but a ripple passes through it … and then it flows upward, as if it had turned to water, and several geysers had burst forth from the depths. Glass sprays upward and reforms, solidifying once more into a pebbled surface that seals Morpheus and the six goddesses inside, distorting and obscuring their shapes.

Envoy spreads her wings again, turning her dive into a glide and using the extra speed she's gained to help offset her added mass. The spell in her left hand glows even brighter as she tries to climb back towards the Princess.

Elise desperately grips her mount with her now free hand, clasping the reins just as solidly in her left. She offers comforting words to her mount as she attempts to regain control in order that she might proceed. "Secrets, heed my words and in them find comfort. Ease yourself and calm, it is nothing!"

After a few tumbles, the feathered Drokar manages to right himself, snorting and pulling at his reins as he wheels about to face the wounded Gronegk, also recovered from his tumble. The wound on its face makes the monster look even more ghastly, and it bears its fangs to bay: a keening, unholy noise that flattens Secrets's ears against his head. Rugharo, seeing his target recover herself, moves to block her again, lashing out with his right fist.

Envoy raises an arm to try and block Rugharo's blow, and attempts to strike back at him with a kick.

Saraizadze grits her teeth as she sees the cage form around her target, but she does not stop, merely altering her flight path to aim for the top of the glass enclosure, rather than for Morpheus's exact location.

Having regained control of Secrets, Elise again draws her sword and makes ready to engage the horrid sight of the wounded Gronegk. Carefully she twists her shield hand around the reins of her mount to secure them better, then lowers her shield in front of herself for protection as she initiates a charge against the wounded demon. Her feet spur her mount forward and her sword is raised high, aimed to take a swipe at the demon's damaged head where its armor no longer protects it.

The blocking arm manages to deflect the Rughrat-Eeee's blow,though the force of it rings through her arm bone nonetheless, but the kick misses narrowly. Using their increased closeness, Rugharo shifts his arms to grapple with the Aeolun, trying to tangle her wings behind her.

Envoy roars in anger and reaches her right arm back over her shoulder, trying to grab one of Rugharo's ram-horns. With the beast behind her, she has a clearer line of sight towards the glass dome, and launches her final spell at it in an attempt to cover its surface in a deadly Amber Trap.

The demonic guardian raises one plated wing to block Elise's sword as she aims for his head, but the force of her blow rams through it, shattering the chitin and slicing his forehead, and he keens again, bellowing as he loses altitude, his flight temporarily uncontrolled.

Not about to let the demon recover once again, the noblewoman draws up the reins and turns Secrets into a dive after it. Again her blade is lifted and steadily she makes aim for its wound, intent on cleaving a finishing blow while it is stunned.

Obedient to her commands, Secrets follows the path of the plummeting Gronegk, the Drokar's own descent smoothly controlled and aerodynamic, making him faster than the thrashing demon. As he draws level with him, the poodle's saber intersects with the demon's preternaturally thin waist, and neatly bisects the beast. His keening redoubles in force, and his thrashing continues until he impacts with the hard surface of the platform, with a grotesque splat and a shattering of chitin.

A golden trace of energy leaps from Envoy's ansible, impacting the pebbled glass, then fizzling away in a spray of sparks. Saraizadze hesitates as she draws near the platform, and circles over it. "Hosheb, Skekos, Greve! To me!" she shouts. The three demons at the base of Morpheus's platform take wing to join her.

Continuing the misdirection, Envoy sings an enchantment in hope of making the glass dome glow. With her now free left hand, she reaches behind her so that both hands are trying to find Rugharo's head.

Elise's glare remains on the plummeting monster for but a scant second before she turns from it, pulling up on the reins and spurring Secrets into a speedy ascent directly for the demon that currently grapples with Mage Envoy in an effort to approach it from the rear while it wrestles with the mage, and, in doing this, attempt to get a clear vector in which to cleave a long slash across the creatures back without hitting Envoy in the process.

Envoy's right hand finds purchase on one of Rugharo's horns, but the demon only chortles, wrapping his right hand across her muzzle. "No more of that, girl," he growls, wrapping his left arm hard around her waist, while her wings are pressed against his chest. The two stay aloft by the power of the demon's beating wings alone.

With a grunt of effort, Envoy tries to twist her captor's head off with her right arm while still reaching for the other horn with her left hand. She also tries to bite the hand across her muzzle and kick back with her legs.

Secrets' hooves churn at the air as he executes the maneuver, but this time his rider mis-times her blow, and the sword cleaves past harmlessly over the demon's head. Rugharo's head, alas, seems quite solidly attached to his shoulders, and the bull-bat guffaws as her efforts do little more than jerk it around, though he does start shedding altitude, having a difficult time maintaining flight while holding onto his squirming burden.

Envoy releases her grip, and tries to jab her elbows into Rugharo's ribs instead.

While the tussle over the central platform continues, Saraizadze directs Greve to land on the roof of the cage. When he suffers no ill effects, Skekos and Hosheb join him on top of it, and Skekos draws back his lashes to thrash them against the ceiling, while Skekos stomps and Hosheb stabs with his stinger.

Taking a moment to steady herself from the miss and regain control over her steed before again attacking, Elise then attempts one more attack against the bull-bat. She allows her mount to drop altitude enough that it is aligned with the descending Rugharo and then spurs Secrets into another charge, intent on clipping the beast's arm with her sword in an effort to force it to release Mage Envoy.

Rugharo woofs at the impact from one of Envoy's elbows, then ducks his head down to chomp on one of her pinioned wings. His staggering flight seems to be carrying him westward, away from the three platforms.

Seeing the demons attacking the dome, Envoy stops her elbow-jabbing and tries to pull Rugharo's hand away from her muzzle, ignoring the pain in her wing.

With all her enhanced strength focused on diverting his hand, the Rughrat-Eeee is forced to relinquish his hold on her mouth. He redoubles his assault on her wing, crushing one of the long pinion-bones and ripping off a strip of feathers and flesh, when Elise's glide brings her back into contact with the pair. The poodle's sword finds its mark this time, expertly cleaving the demon's arm off at the shoulder.

Envoy cries out in pain, but follows it immediately by singing out a cantrip aimed at making the domes surface more slippery.

With one arm gone and the other pried from her mouth, Envoysuddenly finds herself free of the demon – and in free-fall!

The Aeolun tries to straighten her crippled wing, hoping to get whatever lift she can from it while flapping furiously with her intact one.

Where Skekos beats at the cage with his barbed whips, fine cracks begin to form, and Hosheb pounds at them with his crushing pincers. The Aeolun's attempted spell has no apparent effect upon the cage. As the Exile plummets, her crippled wing sings with increased pain when she tries to straighten it, she finds it impossible to concentrate fully on magic.

Elise casts a glance between the wounded two behind her and the demonic trio Saraizadze commands. Her eyes follow Envoy's fall for a moment before she needs turn them away and place her full attention on what lies ahead. "Saraizadze!" yells the poodle in an effort to get the High Princess's attention.

Envoy continues to fight gravity and pain in an attempt to climb back towards the platforms, and looks around through pain-blurred eyes for Rugharo.

The High Princess pays no attention to Elise; instead, she lands on the top of the glass cage, and places the beating heart of her sceptre to the fractured glass. "Relent," she says, and the substance crackles beneath the continued assault of the demons, while the flying Drokar bears his rider closer.

The bat-bull screams in pain and rage, flapping his wings to give chase to the swifter Drokar, ignoring Envoy as she falls. The Aeolun manages, fighting tears, to straighten her wing enough to stop her headlong descent, but not enough to gain any altitude.

"Inala!" Envoy calls out. "If Saraizadze succeeds, you'll die!" She doesn't expect the goddess to believe her, but there isn't much else she can do at this point.

Her attempt to get the attention of the High Princess, and thus draw her or one of the demons away, having failed the armored poodle considers another plan. She sheathes her blade and draws her flintlock pistol, resting it on the wrist of her shield hand as she tries to draw a bead on Saraizadze's chest, and when she thinks she has her without wasting too much time aiming, pulls the trigger.

The Goddess of Pleasure stands to the left of the throne, her eyes shining as she watches Saraizadze rip apart the cage holding Morpheus. She seems … diminished since she handed the Princess the sceptre, no longer radiating divinity, though she remains undeniably beautiful and imposing. She spares only a glance and a small, whimsical smile for her slowly descending former avatar.

The mount draws closer as Elise takes careful aim on the Princess. From perhaps a dozen yards away, she pulls the trigger, and with a crack that shatters the stillness, the bullet explodes forth. Blood blossoms on Saraizadze's chest, staining her robes, and she looks up from the cracking cage to stare at the poodle in disbelief.

Envoy continues her struggle to stay airborne, and tries to focus on the Princess to see what is happening.

The High Princess stands, slowly, and spreads her wings, the stain on her chest growing with each breath. The roof of the cage over Morpheus suddenly fragments, raining a shower of glass shards onto those within. The demons beat their wings to hover over the opening … and so does Saraizadze. "Did you think I would die so easily?" She says, Her voice a whisper that carries. "Do you truly hope to defeat Me?"

Elise locks eyes with the wounded High Princess even as she sheathes her smoking gun and reaches to draw her sword. "Drink deep the reward of your evil, Saraizadze!" she tells the woman she just shot. She then draws back on the reins and jerks her mount to ascend and move ever forward lest the demon behind her catch up.

The poodle's timing proves important, as Rugharo drew nearer while she took her shot. Envoy finds the continuing struggle fairly easy to observe, with most of the intervening surfaces transparent, though she has to twist now and again to favor her injured wing in her gliding. As she goes through one twist, she notices one of the many subsidiary platforms, filled by inconsequential Eeee observers, is near enough that she might glide to it.

Envoy heads for the nearer platform, hoping the observers won't cause her more problems.

"I was hoping, but no, I think you are too blind to yourself to die easily. Stand fast – we shall end your ludicrous dreams soon enough!" retorts the warrior-poodle. The poodle now holds her sword at the ready and nods to the High Princess before glancing around to survey her situation. "You fit well amongst demons, Saraizadze; they are fitting minions for you to hide behind. Come, face your accuser alone, for I say you are of all that breath unworthy!"

Despite her wounded state, the observers cower back from Envoy as she draws near. She has a sense of great power over them, as if she were a giant among ants, even though the size discrepancy between them is not great. The Aeolun notices that there are a few of the thin bridges here, leading away from this platform to others.

"Saraizadze knew the boomer was coming," Envoy tells the figures on the platform. "Rockmore's ship was allowed to breach the patrols." That said, she folds up her damaged wing as best she can and runs towards the nearest bridge leading to a higher platform.

Saraizadze draws one breath, then another, tossing Her head back. "Hosheb, Greve, Rugharo, take her," she says, in dismissal. She folds her wings to drop into the glass cage, landing next to Morpheus.

A bemused murmuring washes through the watchers near Envoy, as the Aeolun dashes along one of the narrow bridges. More than once, she nearly slips and falls towards the earth again, the pain in her wing making her weak and dizzy.

Greve and Hosheb, obedient to their mistress, launch themselves toward the poodle, one to her left and one to her right as they attempt to flank her.

Morpheus wheezes, trying to laugh, as a ribbon of red runs down from the edge of his mouth. "Come to butcher me, at last?"

Once she reaches another platform, Envoy stops and sits down cross-legged. Taking deep breaths, she tries to focus past the pain and attempts her cantrip again, trying to make the glass under Saraizadze's feet extra slippery.

Without another word, Elise spurs her mount forward, directly between the demons, and looks between them. She taunts them forward with her sword, trying to draw them into a charge, and preparing to direct her mount into a tucked wing dive for the platform that she hopes will leave the demons nothing but air to crash into. Or each other.

"I come to bring My people freedom, to end the slavery You represent." Saraizadze lifts Her sword, preparing for the first slice.

Envoy finds herself too far away from the target she is trying to effect to reach it. She cannot get the magical effect to extend so far from her with a mere cantrip.

Getting back to her feet, the wounded Mage heads for the next bridge as fast as she dares.

Elise's feint with the demons works, as she drops just when Greve lashes out with his whip, and the thread tangles in one of Hosheb's pincers instead, though the two manage to draw back from a collision. The horrib-demon snarls at his counterpart, dragging back his claw as they hover, face to face. But Elise has little time to savor her achievement, as the Drokar beneath her buckles when rammed by the almost-forgotten one-armed Rugharo.

As Envoy makes her away across another treacherous bridge, Saraizadze holsters Her sceptre at Her back. She reaches for Morpheus's mouth with Her freed hand. The cat-bat tilts his head back from Her grasp, saying, "Savor the moment while you can, young queen. In due time, it will be you on the altar, and someone else dividing up your power. Isn't that how it always goes?"

The force of the impact causes the Gallee to cough as her very breath is knocked from her lungs. She inhales deeply as she draws back to recover, and spurs her mount to kick at the injured demon as she glances to the other demons, then the platform. Drawing herself up, she moves to leap from her flying Drokar to the platform and issues one last command. "Secrets, fly!" she yells.

Risking a glance towards the action, Envoy calls out, "Try to get the scepter, Elise!" while she continues her rush across the platforms.

"I am glad it is Your tongue that goes first, Rapist," The High Princess says. Despite his efforts, She clutches his jaws in Her hand, prying them open, as Elise lands with a thump at one corner of the remainder of the cage. Her mount soars away, the momentarily confused Rugharo still in pursuit. Greve turns from Hosheb to watch his escaping prey, and flies after the poodle, dragging the other behind him, still tangled in his whip.

The Exile reaches another platform, and, panting and wheezing, notes that at last a bridge from this one extends to the central platform, giving her some hope of returning to center stage.

Envoy pauses to catch her breath before heading across the bridge, and looks to see if any of the demons have noticed her yet.

Without wasting a second, the armored Gallee dashes from her landing point towards the High Princess. Attempting to take Saraizadze unaware, she sheathes her sword quickly and throws herself to swipe or yank the scepter from where the princess sheathes it.

The demons seem quite absorbed with Elise, except for Rugharo, who still pursues the flying Drokar.

Making as little noise as she can, Envoy crosses the bridge towards the central platform. One more bridge to go after this.

Though Saraizadze is absorbed by the Ritual of Seven Wounds, reaching into Morpheus's mouth to pull out his tongue, Skekos, the remaining demon, interposes his spiked body between Herself and Elise. The canine collides with the chitin-covered demon, and the two tumble to the platform in a tangle of limbs.

Shards of broken glass scatter away from the two figures as they roll on the ground.

The poodle emits a grunt, one intentionally subdued in an attempt to hide her presence despite the noise her tumbling causes. As she rolls with the demon, she tries to grasp one of the edges of glass in an attempt to use it as a makeshift dagger with which to stab Skekos.

From the center platform, Envoy focuses her attention and sings her cantrip again, directing it at the floor immediately beneath the Princess.

Saraizadze holds Morpheus's tongue in Her left hand, and brings the blade slicing down cruelly with Her right. The chitin sword stops before hitting his neck, and She hisses, opening Her left palm to reveal … nothing, as the feline-bat slid it free just before the cut. "Will You stop making this so difficult?" She hisses.

A likely shard comes to Elise's hand, and the canine slides it into the joint between the chitin plates of the demon's neck and shoulders. Skekos rears his head back, screaming in pain, and the canine is able to scramble out from beneath him.

Free of the demon and with a clear path to approach Saraizadze, Elise uses this chance to once again dash for the High Princess. and attempt to snatch the scepter from her in a forceful dive, intent on grabbing the implement.

Greve and Hosheb, finally disentangled from one another, leap into the glass room and advance towards Elise and their wounded fellow, again trying to flank her. The floor beneath Saraizadze's feet shimmers, faintly, as She scoops up a shard of glass from Morpheus's chest, and impales his tongue with it. The Eeee-cat whimpers as She drags his tongue out, and prepares for another cut.

The glass, still possessing some remnant of magic from Envoy's earlier Shape ritual, is a little more pliable than it might otherwise be, and the pebbled surface seems to melt slightly, becoming slick. The "puddle" of slipperiness spreads outward.

Envoy starts crossing the bridge to the final platform, still trying to make Saraizadze lose her footing if the Eeee tries to move her feet. As the effect starts to take hold, she switches to a Mold spell focused on the shard holding Morpheus' tongue, hoping to soften it enough for him to pull free.

The slipperiness of the floor around Saraizadze's feet makes Elise's charge go somewhat awry, and the poodle ends up tumbling into the High Princess, knocking both of them to the floor, the Eeee would-be goddess leaving the glass shard behind in Morpheus's mouth. She growls in outrage, and while She turns to get to Her feet again, Elise is able to snatch the scepter from Her back.

Envoy tries to hurry towards Morpheus, watching the demons to see how they react now that Elise holds the scepter.

Gripping the scepter firmly in her hand, the poodle's eyes narrow. Appearing to try and channel some of the implement's power while drawing back, Elise holds the item up. "I now hold the Heart of the Creator. Hear my words and do my bidding, kill her, kill Saraizadze!" she calls out in her own voice of authority.

Skekos writhes and screeches on the floor, while the other two demons hesitate, circling warily between their erstwhile leader and the new bearer of the sceptre. Saraizadze climbs to her feet, coughing. "What are you waiting for?" she says, her words sounding strained and rough. "Kill the … interloper." She coughs again, dragging herself into place beside Morpheus, lifting her sword with difficulty. Fresh blood pumps from the wound in her chest, oozing down her front.

Elise feels a rush of radiance cascade into her, a sensation that makes her feel light-headed with raw power. The aches of battle drain away from her limbs, replaced by a giddy feeling of power and control. She feels as though she might do anything now, be whatever she wants to, go wherever she wills.

Envoy starts to run towards Morpheus as she sees Saraizadze weakening, and the demons hesitating.

The Gallee lets her shield slide down her arm, and shifts the rod to be gripped with such force in her left hand that it might well hurt to do so if she wasn't infused with the scepter's energies. Her other hand reaches to draw her sword and as she does so she rises up, and her burning gaze falls on Saraizadze. "Infernal guardians, know my will, for I bind you to it with the power of Creation. Claw to flesh, teeth to bone … a bid you destroy Saraizadze, the Unworthy One," she cries out to the expanse and to the demons that circle.

The High Princess reaches for Morpheus' tongue, which the cat-Eeee has been trying, carefully, to work the shard loose from. Her bare fingers slice against the glass as she tries to grab it again, and she stares, dumbfounded, at the blood running down them. "What … what are you … " She coughs, and glares at the demons, who stare, uncomfortably, from her to Elise. "… waiting for? Obey me! I am your Goddess!" Blood trickles from the side of her mouth, and the flow from the bullet hole drips over her legs. "Kill … her."

Climbing in through a shattered section of the dome, Envoy has to take a deep breath again before dashing towards the bound Morpheus and the Princess standing over him.

Ringed around them, the six bound goddess-statues have turned, at some point, to watch the spectacle, though they still do not seem alive. Their expressions seem both blank, and somehow accusing, as they wait for an unknown cue.

"Elise, will the Heart back into Morpheus!" Envoy shouts as she reaches the opposite side of Morpheus from the Princess, and reaches for the shard holding his tongue.

The entrance of the Aeolun does not escape Saraizadze's notice. "You!" she spits, turning about and spraying red, before slumping back against Morpheus's bound form. Her right arm drops to her side, too weak to hold her sword aloft, as her left hand clutches at her increasingly mortal wound.

"If you survive this, Saraizadze, I hope your enemies hire better assassins than you did," Envoy says as she carefully frees Morpheus' tongue.

Elise continues to grip the scepter in her left hand and begins walking towards Saraizadze and Morpheus. She appears all-together more impressive then she was just minutes ago, her armor glistening and perfect, and her countenance more imposing than she ever was normally. Her right hand raises her sword as she draws closer to the High Princess. "It is over, Saraizadze. You have caused enough suffering in the world. Do not think to accuse her, or I, of your downfall. Know that that it is but you have brought this upon yourself!" she snarls. The Gallee walks closer, and prepares to strike at Saraizadze.

"Wait!" Envoy says to Elise. To the Princess she asks, "Tell us who the conspirators were that allowed Rockmore's ship to penetrate Babel's airspace."

As Morpheus' tongue is freed, he tries to move it, albeit painfully, muttering to Envoy.

Saraizadze shakes her head, and straightens, bringing her sword up to fend off the coming blow, though her hand moves so slowly that Elise could easily knock the blade away from her. The Eeee's fingers tremble on her weapon, and the world around them flickers with her, for a moment. The outer platforms of the great hall start to fade – not crumbling or breaking, but simply … ceasing … to be.

Envoy perks her ear towards the whispers, and her eyes go wide. "Elise! Forget her, the Heart has to be returned before Saraizadze dies!"

Elise deflects the attempt to swing at her easily enough, and as she moves to cleave Saraizadze in twain, she notes Envoy's voice. Hesitantly she glances between the fallen princess and the bound god, and as if struggling against something, lifting her sword hand to grip her head. She takes a deep breath and thrusts the heart-scepter towards Morpheus's chest. "Be whole, Morpheus!"

The black bat-feline closes his eyes as the sceptre enters the gaping cavity, and his back arches upwards into it. The world flickers for a moment, and then he is whole, his chest as smooth and black-furred as if nothing had happened to it. The scratches on his body from the falling glass vanish, the blood at his mouth from the cut in his tongue, gone. He re-opens his eyes, still bound to the slab, and blinks a few times, then sighs.

Beside him Saraizadze sobs, softly, tears mixing with blood on her face. Her eyes drift to the distant northern platform, and she whispers out, "Husband, help me… "

"You're still bound," Envoy says, sounding worried. "Will that end with Saraizadze's death?" she asks the God of Dreams.

"I don't know," the black feline-bat answers, honestly, in a normal tone of voice. "If you don't mind, I'd rather you untied me first."

Envoy blinks, and hurries to do so, using the glass shard to help cut through the bindings.

Without the scepter to energize her, Elise staggers. Though she winces in pain and slumps against the slab next to Morpheus, she too sighs, sounding somehow relieved for being free of the implement. Still having some strength, she tries to push herself up and turns to seek out Saraizadze and her husband with her gaze.

If Grand Vizier Thath remains by the throne, they can no longer see him. Suddenly, the hall seems even larger than it had been before, or as if the actors in it are now diminished. Saraizadze slumps to the floor, crunching in the splinters of glass, eyes sliding open and closed, back against the tilted slab. The feeling of an audience starts to slide away from them, as a hundred thousand dreamers start to waken.

With only Saraizadze to see, the lady poodle walks over to the dying woman and kneels down near her quietly. She offers no remarks, now, just watching with a joyless frown on her face and a question on her lips. "High Princess Saraizadze, there is time left to make some small amends for what you have done. The names, those you conspired with … who were they?" she asks her.

Envoy listens closely as she works to free Morpheus, and wonders what the people of Babel will think when they wake up.

At last, freed, Morpheus slides off the platform, rubbing by reflex at his wrists. He smiles at Envoy. "Thank you, my friend." As his attention is turned to the Exile, the demons snarl, and move towards the weakened Elise as one, reaching with pincers, whips, and stinger.

"Can you do anything about those monsters?" Envoy asks quickly as she hears the demons.

The God of Dreams casts a look upon the demons, and shakes his head. "No, that's quite enough from you," he says, and they vanish from existence.

If the Princess hears Elise's question, she shows no sign of it. Her breast rises and falls very slowly now, in shallow gasps, and her lips look blue and bloodless

Elise's head turns and she regards the monsters with eyes wide. As best she can, she moves to defend herself … and the monsters vanish before her eyes. She slumps back not far from Saraizadze, and turns her gaze again to the mortally wounded Eeee who she watches intently. To the pair behind her she offers, "You have my thanks."

Envoy sighs with relief, and gives the Khatta-Eeee a grateful hug, and then looks at the dying Princess. "I never wanted her dead. I had hoped she would face Babelite justice for her crimes."

The world around them fades at the fringes, the constellations above swallowed by blackest night, the earth below vanishing among shadows. "Is this the way it ends?" Saraizadze says, pitifully. "I can't see anything." One hand reaches out before her, waving vaguely at the air. The distant throne is gone now, along with the other platforms. All that remains is the single platform they are on, with the figures of six … no, seven bound goddesses surrounding the slab, still chained to it.

"She is already dead, Envoy," Morpheus says, watching her. "They had to kill her … sacrifice her to bring her this far. It is only that now, she knows she is dead."

Eyeing the goddesses and the slab, Envoy gets a sinking feeling. "Sacrifice. Are they waiting for her to be bound to the slab then?"

"I was supposed to be a goddess," the brown-furred Eeee whispers, plaintively. "Am I a goddess yet?" She blinks sightless eyes, and draws another ragged breath. "It hurts."

Morpheus winces. "Let us not make this any more grisly than it already is. Let it be … at an end."

Envoy leans down to whisper to Saraizadze, "For good or ill, you will be remembered. That much immortality is yours."

"I believe she has faced justice, of a sort. Her greed for power has come full circle … and her husband has left her to die alone. Though I … I hated her for what she is … I cannot help but feel sorry for her," Elise says to Morpheus and Envoy. She sits up again and reaches over a hand to allow the High Princess to take it, unable to let her die abandoned in the dark. "May the First Ones guide you on your path to eternity, that you may someday in the Procession repay your debt here on Sinai. I pray for your eventual peace."

Saraizadze's fingers intertwine loosely with Elise's, though how much of her words she hears, isn't clear. A little smile forms on her face at Envoy's mention of immortality. "Let it end," Morpheus repeats, and the slab blurs and vanishes from the world. The goddesses fade into nothingness, leaving only the four figures against a black background. "Let it end." Then, they, too, are gone.