Within a vast, dark cavern there used to be a forest of white-barked, glowing dead trees. There are no trees now, and now paired stumps. There is only one source of light now, a white figure near the center of the empty cavern.

There's still an odd breeze, which manages to ruffle Alptraum's long hair while still barely registering. Standing at the entrance to the cavern, the Sea of Souls sounds very close behind him.

Alptraum peers about in this eerie place. It's silent, far too silent to ever feel natural and that's unsettling. So is the white shape ahead, and it fills his gut with dread. Which one is this? comes the question in his mind, and then he's walking towards the figure.

Once Alptraum is close enough, Melisandre stands and turns to face him. "I was hoping you would come," she says, and seems at peace.

"I wasn't sure anyone would still be here," Alptraum admits to Melisandre. "Much less any who would wish to see me enough they would wait in this place of torment."

"You are my son, if not in body.. or spirit," the Eeee woman says. With the curse gone, she looks more alive, and it's easy to see why Thath would fall in love with her and why the Sabaoth would lust for her. "But intent matters, at least in Babel. Blood is not the primary bond of our families."

"True enough. I exist because at some level you wished it; a child in some form," Alptraum agrees and rubs the bridge of his nose a moment. "Had even one small thing been different, I might have been born to you in life, instead of surrogate," he adds, quietly. "The curse has been undone, and those that can still be remembered will fade no more." He pauses there and looks to her, then asks, "Should I summon him? Your husband, my father? I do not know f I can without being with him, but I can try."

"Thath.." Melisandre says softly. "I would have him remember me as I was, yes, if you can."

Alptraum offers his hand to the spirit. "Your presence may help," he suggests. If she takes his hand, or even if she doesn't, he'll close his eyes and focus on Thath; try to find his mind within the endless sea of minds that is Babel; his dreams, his weariness; it stretches longer than most. If he's not so warded, then perhaps...

The line Alptraum is following gets clearer when Melisandre takes his hand. Her's is surprisingly warm for a glowing specter. Thath left an open door to himself specifically for Alptraum though, so he just needs to knock or step through it.

Alptraum does both; he knocks once as a warning that he's coming, then he steps through the door left for him.

It looks like he's entered Thath's study. It's very tidy and organized, if a bit chilly. The hearth is also cold, but the painting of Melisandre above it is the brightest and warmest thing in the chamber. That looks up from behind his desk, and takes a moment to register Alptraum. "Is it really you?" he asks.

"As much as it is ever me," Alptraum counters in an appropriately cryptic sort of way. "The curse is over; the souls released," he explains as the reason he came. "And one of them waits to speak with you before going to rest."

Thath stands and comes around his desk.. and then embraces Alptraum. "You broke it, without destroying the Yodh," he says, with is probably a tone of pride.

Alptraum hugs on Thath tightly. "It was ... he used his own daughter as the anchor for it all; made her into an unliving golem creature that was trapped and kept it running for so long. It was awful in there, and I cannot understand how a father could do that to their child," he admits.

"The Sabaoth was a twisted creature, and lost more of himself with each new body I suspect," Thath suggests. "Only the most ruthless parts of him would be able to survive over time."

Alptraum nods. "I wonder if he was ever good and kind, or if he was always ruthless like that. It would be all the worse if he was once a good man," he comments as his right ear twitches some. "I suppose now none of it matters; it is gone and done. The past must be let go for the future to come."

"Let go," Thath echoes, and looks dour again. "This will be the last time I see her, won't it?"

"I don't know. I suppose that is up to you both. I don't think it would have to be," Alptraum admits, "If there is agreement. It is not forbidden to speak with those gone in Babel."

"I assumed that I too would need to be dead for you to work such meetings," Thath admits. "But I do not know all of your abilities."

"You're not dead now, and I can arrange it," Alptraum points out. "Come, you've waited far too long for this," he says as he takes his father's arm. "Let us close this book of sorrows with you standing side by side with the one he sought to take from you."

Back through the doorway is the cavern, and the shade of Melisandre. Thath embraces her, and she returns the favor. It's not a passionate embrace, but one of reunion with someone long gone.

Alptraum keeps his distance, allowing those who have long been apart to know each other once again. He knows the feeling of loss and missing since he left Rosalind; he cannot imagine the intensity of it were it years upon years instead of just the time he has been in Babel.

Thath's shoulders begin to relax. It looks like something has drained out of him, almost. Melisandre breaks the embrace first though. "This is.. dangerous," she says. "The dead drain the living."

"So does the longing for those taken too soon," Alptraum notes, "He is safe enough for now, and it is something both of you need. A chance to actually say goodbye, a chance to remember, a chance to find the memories the curse locked away."

"Do I even count as alive anymore," Thath ponders. "All this time, I have been maintained by anger and vengeance. To bring down a monster, I became one as well."

"Of course you do. I've seen you cry. As long as you can still feel, you live," Alptraum counters, "And you had many monsters to fight; it is not easy to avoid becoming one in turn to deal with it. But that is over now. You can let it go."

Melisandre smiles and tells Thath, "My anger probably fed yours, which is why you did not forget me. But before anger there was love. It will still be there when the anger has left." She looks to Alptraum then, and says, "I am sorry we could not be the parents you needed. But you must have been raised well, away from us and our.. poisoned hearts. So I feel I can let go of that regret, if you forgive us."

"I already have," Alptraum replies and dips his head slightly. "It was easy to hate and be angry in kind; but having seen the story firsthand now. I have seen the moments that made monsters, and the reasons that are all too understandable. We must all look to the future, and what could be, and let go of the angers of the past."

"You must let me go too, Thath," Melisandre says. "There is no future for me, for I am dead. You must now do as your son says, and look forward."

"To what? What is there left for me?" Thath asks, seeming to shrink in on himself.

"Me. Your soon to be grandchildren," Alptraum points out. "Your adopted daughter you have now. Even your odd spotted butler."

"And Babel itself, ready to be birthed anew," Melisandre says. "Oversee the final gasp of the old ways, as is only fitting."

Thath takes Melisandre's hands and brings them up to his lips to kiss them. "I will never forget you," he says, his cheeks wet. "I will seek you again in peace, after this conflict is done. I've had enough of conflict."

"No one is ever completely gone so long as one that lives remembers them," Alptruam offers, then takes a few steps forward to them. His arms and wings spread, and he hugs them both. "And always remember, it was both of you and the work you did, that made a new beginning possible," he says.

"If something good comes from all I did.. then so be it," Thath claims. "I will not use it as justification though. I did what I did for myself, for revenge and anger and pain. But flowers will bloom in a corpse, even in a desert."

"Does that make me a lousy piece of art, then?" Alptraum asks. "Granted I'm not even close to the best-looking Eeee..."

"You are stronger than either of us were," Melisandre says, smiling to Alptraum. "And only you could have saved the two of us."

"Mmm, or too stupid and foolish to not know better," Alptraum offers with a small smile. "Even if your actions were not from altruistic hearts, they have helped to bear a better world. At least take some solace and feel grateful that good came from those selfish acts. No one always does things for purely selfless reasons. Not even me. It is what makes us, us. And sometimes we manage good things without good intention."

"And I must maintain my monstrous ways for a little longer, to be a proper midwife to Babel," Thath sighs. "Assassins and pirates will fall upon us soon, I fear."

"Oh, most likely yes. There is still a bit more that must be done. From keeping the general from collecting her spare body from the tower, to ending her threat fully and driving Amenlichli from wishing to return here," Alptraum agrees. "The last act has begun, and we have parts we must all still play in this centuries-long tragedy."

"No matter the outcome, the old Babel will be no more, for better or for worse," Thath says. "I must meet with my secret war council soon, I think. They just don't know that I know about them yet."

"How could they not know; you know about everything in Babel, after all," Alptraum points out. "But, let us go. We have some time to prepare and rest for the final push, and we should take advantage of it."

The cavern begins to shrink, with a quaking rumble. "I will see you again," Thath promises Melisandre, and then finally lets go of her hands. "Please escort her to the Sea, Alptraum," he then says. "I will return to where I belong as well," he notes, looking back towards the doorway.

Alptraum puts his hand upon That's shoulder and nods. "May your burdens feel lighter; she will know rest and peace now," he says formally.

Thath returns through the doorway, which closes and fades away. Melisandre takes Alptraum's hand as the chamber continues to collapse in on itself, now that it's purpose is done.

Alptraum turns and walks off, leaving the crumbling cavern behind him and with Melisandre hand in hand. "I am sorry life was not better for both of you. But in truth, there is no fairness inherent in living. What fairness exists, we must make. We must shape, until it does become part of the world. For good and bad, what you endured has broad some hope to the people. I truly hope that in that you fins some comfort," he says.

The ledge overlooking the Sea of Souls is peaceful. It could almost be a cliff overlooking an actual ocean at sunset, save that it is always sunset here. At the actual shoreline below, there's a small boat waiting.

"That is true," Alptraum agrees as they walk. As they draw up to the edge, the lapping of water echoes in this place in-between. He turns to her and takes both her hands. "Night is falling," he murmurs to her and then leans in to kiss her upon the forehead. "And you have come to your journey's end. May you now find peace with those of your past, of family long gone, and family that almost was. May you come to know the daughter that should have been, and in those moments dream of the life without sadness and pain. You will not be forgotten."

"I would have loved to raise you," Melisandre says, smiling. "Kept you away from the Yodh and the Sabaoth and all of it. Did you have a happy life, Alptraum?"

"I had a mostly ordinary one? Parts were happy. Parts were sad," Alptraum explains. "I've known friendship as well as betrayal. I've not been perfect; I've done thing I am not proud of. But with all of that, I would say it has been more happy than not."

"That is good to hear," Melisandre says, and rises on her toes kiss Alptraum on the cheek. "May it continue that way. I think that is my boat. Will you launch it for me?"

"Of course," Alptraum agrees and leads her down the ledge towards the boat far below. "I do have an odd question for you. What would you have named me?" he asks.

"Thoth," Melisandre says. "It means Wisdom in an older interpretation of Babelite. Philia if you had been a daughter."

"Would you have preferred a daughter?" Alptraum asks. "I know of several who wishes I were a woman."

"I would have preferred a son first," Melisandre says as they reach the shore. The boat looks like it's made from layered funeral shrouds. "Given my past, I would have worried a bit over a daughter."

"Fair point, that," Alptraum has to concede. He helps Melisandre step into the boat, but doesn't let her sit or launch yet. Instead, he hugs her tightly. "This is not a forever goodbye," he whispers, "We will meet again. I promise."

"Look for me in the eyes of your daughters then," Melisandre whispers back. "And if you see me.. keep a close watch on them. They will be trouble."

"That was a guarantee by just being my daughter," Alptraum replies as his lips curl up. "I definitely have to invest in ways to protect their purity," he jokes as he helps Melisandre settle into her boat now. He moves to it's bow and eases it out into the sea; wading into it so that he can take it as far as he safely can. "Until we meet again, may you find rest and contentment," he says.

Melisandre lies back into the boat as it drifts out into the sea, towards the eternal sunset.

Alptraum watches the boat float towards the sunset. "Goodbye," he says as it slowly drifts out of sight. There's a small smile upon his lips, and a few blinks betray him as they ease a few tears down his cheeks. When he can no longer see the boat, he turns and walks back to shore.

Chambers of the High Priestess, Temple of Rephath
Being one of the more prominent and influential Temples, it is often necessary that the High Priestess meet directly with highly-placed petitioners for vengeance. As such, her suite includes a formal meeting chamber separate from her private ones. The walls are high and mostly bare, with a red-tinted skylight providing blood-tinted illumination. There are oil braziers in the shape of Rephath's Balance along the stone walls to provide extra illumination, and something of a sickle motif to the table and chairs. Stands holding the ceremonial armor of previous high priestesses fill out the space between the braziers.

There's always some risk of getting side-tracked when visiting the Temple of Rephath, mostly due to all of the 'guests' in 'protective custody' until the Royal Mages issue can be dealt with and the guild mages can repair all of their memories. But apparently the temple guards were told to bring him straight to Koldesh when he showed up, so he wasn't actually pestered with questions from acolytes or others that had to deal with the prisoners.

Koldesh herself is behind her desk, which is covered in maps that have been annotated many times over the centuries from the look of them. "Ah, tell me some good news, Barsunala," she bids.

"Well, there's an army of General clones beneath the Tower of Babel, and they're about to explode out and attack," Alptraum says with a completely straight face.

Alptraum wells, "Only one, actually. And it's in parts. It's what the General was after, parts to actually build a new body. I didn't destroy it as I figured it might make for good bait." He also peers at her a bit and admits, "I expected more of a reaction."

"Armies of abominations are part of Yodhrephath Lore," Koldesh reminds. "And we aren't surprised by anything that is related to the Tower of Babel anymore. Now, are the parts animate? Where'd you leave them?"

"They're sort of animate, dormant in some vats of goo down there. I locked the door back on the way out and left them in there. It's an extremely hard location to get to, the only way I found was through a poison-filled tunnel, and a whole lot of climbing through walls bade from skinned Eeee," Alptraum explains as he settles heavily into a chair. He at least knows better than to put his feet up on her desk.

"Is that the only way in?" Koldesh asks. "There must be another way, else why even bother? And the door is locked? Is there a key for it then?"

"Those plates we recovered were the key," Alptraum explains and then offers over the plates. "There's probably a way in from above somewhere, but I doubt it's much easier to get to. I didn't look for it admittedly."

"Anything else in there besides.. skinned Eeee in the walls, you said?" Koldesh asks, looking up in confusion at that part.

"Well, there are also a lot of dead bodies lying about, and a giant tentacled monster-thing crawling the halls," Alptraum explains, "Along with other tubes of monster sleeping that might wake up. I did run into a few horrib-Eeee hybrids down there made through some sort of surgical procedure."

"You want us to invade the Tower?" Koldesh asks, apparently considering it. "It doesn't sound like anything the Mages could use themselves though. No weapons, just body parts? If we know where they're getting in we can just wait for them."

"Well, I know the lower entrance location, but you will need poison filters to guard it. The upper entrance I can probably find now. Maybe. The tower folks might tell me anyway since they know I'm working for the city. I could try to negotiate allowing a guard there too," Alptraum suggests, though sounds more uncertain about it.

"The tower isn't really under the control of Babel," Koldesh notes. "At least, not the Coalition. When the Guardians faction was ousted along with the General after seizing it, the Temple of Rephidim was 'awarded' the right to guard it," she says, growling a bit. "Supposedly to ensure that there weren't any more Plague-Bringers or other horrors within. It doesn't sound like they made it down to the lower levels though, if they've done anything at all beyond set up a base in the upper abandoned residences."

"Well, then it's time they give it back, or be treated like an occupying force. I don't want to resort to violence against them, but they did try to kill me numerous times, and laughed as they tortured people I knew. I don't particularly trust them to be honest. Some of them did help the mages during the ritual all. I could probably kill the ones there easily enough now," Alptraum muses and taps his claws together, then sighs. "But no, it would just make matters worse. We need to work with people, not start more fights. Maybe if i asked Mage Cyprian to talk to them they'd be willing to meet with us in neutral territory and discuss defending against a possible coming attack together."

"Hmm, yes.. the Guild is technically neutral after all," Koldesh says. "Even if the individual mages within it aren't. I doubt they've mapped all the entrances though. So many structures were added to the Tower that there could a thousand hidden entrances. The Royal Mage infiltrators only need one of those."

"I have a map, remember. The old plates should show me how to get to the lower levels from the upper if I were inside," Alptraum explains. "It adapts to my location and guides me through the structure. And I imagine a lot of the weaker added structures collapsed recently. I ..." He pauses there for a moment, "Kind of blew up a massive magical device within the lower levels that caused significant structural damage."

"The tower is huge," Koldesh notes. "But this was in the area with the body parts?" she asks. "Would it be enough for the map to be inaccurate now?"

"Doubtful. And yes, this was the area near the body parts. One other point of note is that I can also sense all living things within the tower if I focus hard enough. I can use that easily enough combined with the map to locate and mark out any remaining possible ways into that section below. Worst case, we simply collapse them all so that only the lower entrance is viable. Given the tower is our heritage, I don't want to completely remove access to our history in there; it's still important even if parts of it should never be brought back to use," Alptraum says and shrugs. "And really, i do not like a foreign power in charge of what is ours. We are rebuilding and changing; we have right to our property."

"To avoid detection, I would use a lower entrance if I were the Mages," Koldesh says. "The Streets Below are largely abandoned now. But we know the lower entries were actively guarded during the Dream Ritual, after a coven of Diphath cultists attacked the Tower."

"I know of only one lower entrance, but perhaps there are others. I'll have to fly a perimeter of the building and see if the map itself pings on anything in the process. I doubt they'd use the on the cultists used. It's likely they'll use the same passage they escaped through, frankly. That's the most obvious route. That doesn't address dealing with the Temple, though. They have to be resolved too," Alptraum growls.

"Our spies say the garrison is fairly small," Koldesh says. "They may have more inside the Tower itself though."

"As much as I hate it, we should try to work with them. At the very least have them guard upper and we'll try to find any lower access points ourselves to watch," Alptraum comments as his claws scrape against each other. In other forms, this would probably be making sparks by now.

"Should we let them know about the Royal Mages though?" Koldesh asks. "I'd prefer getting their support without going into that detail. We really just don't want them attacking us."

"We tell them we have information that a group of the General's supporters may be planning a raid on the tower. We give no details on who other than that," Alptraum offers.

"Find out what sort of weaponry they have as well their numbers if you can," Koldesh requests. "I'm worried they'll give away that we know the Mages are going to try something, if that's their main target or just one of many. I'm trying to guess how their attack is going to come, so I can make sure we can cut off their escape. But if they're just more of these suicide attacks I have to consider ignoring them completely."

"Numbers of which, the attackers or the Temple?" Alptraum asks for clarification. "And I doubt it's a suicide run if they want to bring something out, and that map was very specific on what it pointed me to."

"No, the distractions.. the attacks on the airships with those poor enslaved buggers," Koldesh says, gesturing in the general direction of the dungeon. "And numbers of the Temple garrison, if you can. You saw the prize they're after in the Tower: how many would it take to carry it out?"

"The vats included? A dozen. Without the vats, half that or one third," Alptraum remarks after some thought. "Without the vats, they parts tend to get ... fighty. So they'll probably want the vats. I'm not sure how I would find out how large the distraction attacks would be.""

"Their goal will be to engage our air forces and sow chaos," Koldesh says. "And we can't reduce our escorts without alerting them, which means coming up with new tactics for them so they can survive. I'm.. tempted.. to consult Rizalka. The Yodhblakat are chaotic, and may have some ideas."

"Why not talk with her? You two actually do seem to get along," Alptraum points out. "Sure, she's crude and loud, but she'll listen to reason. Well, sometimes."

"She'll want to participate," Koldesh claims grumpily. "Yodhblakat are like vermites. Once they're in you can never get them all out. They'll want to ride along with the escorts!"

"I don't really see the problem. We could use the extra hands, right?" Alptraum asks. "Though do bear in mind some are pregnant and may not be able to."

"That will just make them more dangerous," Koldesh claims. "But.. I'll talk to Rizalka. It means trusting her not to go crazy with this information of course. She hates the Royal Mages. Professionally hates them."

"Tell her that I'll turn her into a rhugrhat if she makes anything harder or slips any information," Alptraum offers. "Or a hog, but she might like being a hog too much."

"And I admit I like the Yodhblakat, they're like ... murderous court jesters sometimes," Alptraum admits.

"What does that make the Yodhrephath then?" Koldesh ask, tapping her fingertips together and raising her eyebrows. "Or the other Yodh?"

"You're .... mmm, harsh librarians. The Yodhbarada are nosy pickpockets. The Yodhsunala are undertakers. The Yodhgorphat are ... green masochistic nurses ..." Alptraum ticks off.

"Harsh librarians," Koldesh shakes her head. "And the Yodhinala and Yodhzakaro?"

"Whores and gluttonous engineers," Alptraum answers. "What? These are all far more polite than any terms you all likely have for me."

"And you never call me anything else at all?" Alptraum asks and arches his brow.

"The Yodhrephath do not gossip," Koldesh claims. "And nobody here would dare talk about my husband behind my or your wings. Now, have any of them tried to seduce you? I know it's a stretch, since they're probably just come and ask if you'd be interested. Yodhrephath aren't chosen for their subtlety of attractiveness after all."

"No one has expressed any interest in me here at all, and Windcaller just gets embarrassed by me because I always tease her a little," Alptraum admits.

"The one with the scars?" Alptraum asks. "That was before you declared our, er, binding. I haven't seen her since."

"Yes, Yodhrephath Scar," Koldesh notes. "So there's clearly some interest. Nobody else knows though. Scar isn't one to brag."

"None of them have asked me to wear a dress and prance, at least," Alptraum chuckles as he rises and stretches a bit. "I should go make arrangements with the mages to contact the tower. I may also ask Mave to make me something that will keep me calm when dealing with them. I still have nightmares of those bastards taunting and laughing as they killed children and such."

"I'm sure they'll want to talk to me, regardless. There will be at least one spy there too, to try and determine how big of a threat I actually am, and if any rumors are true," Alptraum points out. "They'd be idiots not to use the meeting as a chance to learn firsthand."

"No, but there is a statement made if I am, a willingness to work with them," Alptraum points out. When dealing with people there are a lot of subtle meanings to who is where, and body language. All of it can convey a lot more than just words; it's as important, if not moreso, than what is actually said. It's a lesson I learned well when I was poor and a road urchin."

"Having someone 'important' there from this group shows we're actually serious. And we're willing to work with them as partners. Someone like me is a huge symbol given all the strange rumors about me," Alptraum adds. "So, having me there would be a benefit realistically, as long as I don't get provoked or something. Which depending on their attitudes might be something they'd try."

"I hope they understand the message then," Koldesh says. "I've no information on their commander. He doesn't show himself. There's a lieutenant that deals with the supplies they purchase from the Coalition. Sarakind is his name. Or part of his name. Big black Jupani."

"I'll be able to tell their emotional states, which will give me a bit of an advantage," Alptraum admits. "We'll see how it goes, and if I get too irritated, I'll come up with an excuse for needing to leave to tend to something or another."

"Not exactly. I can read their moods, their actual feelings, emotions. I can tell if a stoic person is secretly terrified, for example. I can also influence them to a degree, though I would not do that in Cyprian's presence, that would be rude," he explains.

"Good to know," Koldesh says, and then sighs. "Too much to do. Can you send my secretary in when you head out? I need to send a message to Mt. Blakat and invite Riz over."