The group stares at each other for a moment longer; after a long silence Miriya queries ``are you 
truly the Invisible God or one of his trusted servants?''  The man in the blue robes looks at Miriya, and his 
face takes on a kindly look.  He says to Miriya ``have faith.''  He asks aloud `` who am I?''  A disembodied 
voice replies ``He is the Invisible God. He created the world. He bound the Old Ones. He undid that which 
was done. He has been since the beginning.''  Cragspider looks upon the Invisible God with annoyance and 
disdain.   
 
	``What am I then?'' Cragspider adds icily.  The disembodied voice speaks again ``You are she who 
aided in creation. You are second only to the creator.  You are the mother of the world and the mother of life.  
You are She who remained behind in the years of famine.   You are She who was the strength in the world's 
weakness.  You are She who guided the reassembly of the World Machine.  You are Cragspider.''  
Cragspider is silenced by this answer. 
 
	The Dragon Emperor stirs from his recollections and asks ``who am I?''  The voice fills the chamber 
``you are the fighting spirit of the world.  You are the balance the world sought.  You are He who brought 
the world from stasis to movement.  You are He who guided the world into the acceptance of itself not for 
what it was but what it could be. You are He who saw the Way.  You are the Dragon Emperor.''  Both Miriya 
and Leoshi stir and shift at the end of this speech. 
 
	Branham says ``Quite a nice place you've got here.''  His gaze works around the crystal periphery of 
the chamber and settles back on the Invisible God.  ``I take it you've cleaned up some since the Necromancer 
was here.  At least this is one place his damage was undone.   Pity you could not fix the rest of it so easily.''   
The Invisible God looks sadly upon Branham, a multi-hued rainbow plays across his eyes, and the Invisible 
God asks Branham ``who do you think I am?''  Branham says ``someone from a nice place who found a nicer 
place and then took on some things he couldn't handle.  That's all fine and well, but other people have been 
hurt by your games.''  Branham is clearly agitated, but adds in a chilling tone ``You asked me what I 
recommended.   I intend to tell you!   It depends on many things doesn't it?  It hardly seems fair for all the 
people in Zhalindor to die just to give you some sense of `Closure' does it?  Then too, there are many others 
on many worlds who may be affected by the destruction of the World Machine or your failure to destroy it.''  
The Invisible God says ``More than you know.'' 
 
	The party members all begin to talk at once.  Vorondil says ``whether the world survives or not is of 
little consequence.  ``I've lived a long life, and in the last couple of years, I've avenged those things which 
needed to be avenged.  ``God or whoever you really are --- I stopped believing in much of anything long ago 
--- it doesn't matter what you do as long as you don't let the Old One's go plundering the planes.''   
 
	Miriya turns to the Invisible God and says ``Master, Your people groan in anguish!  ``Save us from 
the powers of Void and Chaos!  ``Return your Way to the world!''   
 
	 Leoshi says ``I don't know what is going on anymore or what to believe, but if any of you ultra-
powerful denizens can do something, stop the slaughter of the innocent people outside this chamber!  ``The 
world is being pulled apart.  ``You have to stop it!''   
 
	Balinor intones in a loud voice ``in the final days it is said that the Invisible God would return, but it 
does not say what his purpose would be.  ``Some would have you restore the world before the Old One's 
entry.  ``Some would have you end it entirely.  ``I do not know what either of those options hold.  ``Are 
there worlds beyond this one where we might live in peace, or is this truly the end?''   
 
	Trahk Chi scratches his head and says ``after trolls die they go to hell where everyone becomes a 
Mistress Troll, even the stinking trollkin.  ``If you destroy the world, do I still get to be a Mistress Troll?  ``It 
seems fair since I was one of the ones who put the World Machine back together!''   
 
	Tremir says ``You must act to stop Chaos and the creatures of the Void.  They cannot be allowed 
to destroy the Life contained here.'' 
 
	The Invisible God first looks at Cragspider, Branham and the Dragon Emperor.  The Invisible God's  
countenance is filled with both compassion and resolve; it is the look of one who has seen all and felt all.   
He speaks softly, and still the room is filled with His voice and presence as He states ``doubt me not, I am 
the creator of this realm.  I have been with it albeit indirectly.  To truly create is to allow things to run their 
own course to a point.  This world, this universe, these assembled cosmos are good and well created.  No 
matter what you were before whether a shadow in the mind of a beholder or firm and substantial, no one can 
deny you what you have become.''  His gaze settles on Branham, and the Invisible God states ``who are 
you?'' 
 
	Branham clears his throat, looks introspective for a moment and says ``I am a man.  I was a Naval 
Intelligence Officer for the Imperium in the real universe from where you came I think.  I am a psionicist of 
unsurpassed power and skill, but still, I am a man.  I have no delusions of god-hood.  I was offered that once 
on the plane of Limbo, and I rejected it.  It would be the narcotic dreams of a sickened mind and no more or 
less.''   
 
	The Invisible God chuckles softly.  He looks across the room and states ``and, are all of you then 
just mortals?  Phineas, who rose from the pits of Hell.  Is he a mortal?  Branham, you have lived for centuries, 
are you still mortal?  You have seen things that men do not see.  Phineas, you have experienced things that 
men do not feel.  Balinor, tell me truly, are these the deeds and knowledge of men?'' 
 
	Balinor states ``Oh Invisible God, it is not in my realm to question the wisdom of the gods and 
goddesses.  Yet, in my humble opinion, I would state these are not the works, thoughts or sinews of mortal 
men, but rather those of heroes and godlings.  Branham was offered a godhead and declined it!  This is a will 
that exceeds that of a god!  Phineas fathered a nation and has risen from the dead; he is no longer a man.  
Leoshi and Vorondil have thrown down three godlings in their time.  Risk considered the body of the 
Mother of the World fair and just target; his courage is extraordinary.  Granth was the giver of magic for the 
past few centuries.  The group's combined list of accomplishments is nearly endless.'' 
 
	The Invisible God ponders this, smiles and shakes his head affirmatively.  He states ``well spoken 
Balinor.  You are truly the sage to the gods.  Balinor is correct; you are more than mortals, and you must 
accept that.   Cragspider, you cannot be the thing you wish to be.  You are not what you once thought you 
were sister.'' 
 
	Cragspider spits the words out like sling bullets as she says ``I could not dismiss them before, but 
here from the control complex, I will conclude this!''  She sings a complex series of words, and the chamber is 
bathed in a golden glow.  Arcane symbols light the walls and hang in the air.  The world seems to spin, and 
the party's collective stomachs lurch.''  The Dragon Emperor's face fills with utter terror.  Huvis cries aloud 
``God, you must stop her; she means to end the world!'' 
 
	The Invisible God responds ``Have faith, true and honest servant.'' 
 
	The walls of the chamber once again shows Zhalindor, but from a greatly elevated perspective.  
Cragspider shrieks out ``It ends here my crazed sibling!  Ai taron, nogth spenia!  Dismiss the Earth!''  A 
voice chimes ``confirmed,'' and the lands, islands and continents disappear.   
 
	Granth says ``Lord, she has destroyed the land, and your creatures flounder in the sea.''  The 
Invisible God says ``they still have the land; it cannot be taken from them.''   
 
	Cragspider screams ``Taron bahk teyava!  Dismiss the Water; dismiss the Air!''  Again, a voice 
says ``confirmed,'' and the seas and air are gone.  The animals, plants and sentients of Zhalindor remain 
suspended in a great bubble, and without the raw Chaos bubbles hideously at the border. 
 
	Granth says ``Lord, she has destroyed the seas and air.  Your creatures cannot breath.''  The 
Invisible God states calmly ``and yet, they live Granth.'' 
 
	The forces of Chaos push the edges of what was Zhalindor, and the bubble of sanity begins to 
shrink. 
 
	Granth says ``Lord, our world collapses!''  The Invisible God asks ``Granth, are you lessened?'' 
 
	Cragspider says ``I'm not finished yet!''  She spins around on her heel, drawing a blazing circle of 
scarlet light above her head.  When the circle is complete, she cries ``Perchang vitae taron!  Dismiss type 
three objects!''  The voice sings ``confirmed!''  Most of the plants and animals disappear from Zhalindor.  
Cragspider cackles in triumph.  ``Brother, you pompous ass!  You are nothing!  I am the anti-creator!  I 
destroy everything!'' 
 
	Phineas looks at the Invisible God, and says ``this is all very interesting, but she is serious about 
destroying the world.  I'm not one of your faithful.  I don't see any sneaky masterplan that is thwarting her 
vile scheme.  All I see is destruction!  Do something!''  The Invisible God queries Leoshi and Miriya ``what is 
true strength in the open and closing of the Way?''  Leoshi and Miriya respond as one ``The opening of the 
Way is in letting go passively, and the closing is in resistance.''  ``Is one superior to the other?'' he asks.  
``They are each superior in their own ways'' Leoshi and Miriya reply.  The Invisible God says ``I am the 
Opener of the Way.''  Trahk Chi says ``you better do something better than `open a way'!'' 
 
	Cragspider rents her gown and says ``Centaurie taron vitae creotus!  Extract type one objects!  
Dismiss the Void, Death and Man.  Dissemble, Complete and Terminate!''  There is a pause, and the silence 
thunders on the party's consciousness.  Cragspider is radiant, triumphant, and the Invisible God looks sad 
and pained.  The Dragon Emperor is creeping slowly toward Cragspider with a raised dagger. 
 
	The scene is cut short when the voice states flatly ``Cragspider, I am unable to fulfill your last 
request.  No type one objects exist in my area of influence, and your instructions would necessitate the 
destruction of millions of type one-alpha objects.''  Cragspider's face is filled with anger, confusion and ---- 
madness.  She bellows ``Destroy type two objects!''  The voice states ``you did not give the required 
countersigns and codes, and it is impossible to destroy the type two objects ---- as there are none, 
Cragspider.''   
 
	Cragspider says through clenched teeth ``how is any of this possible?  How do you know these 
things?  You were mad, mad, mad AND GONE!  YOU WERE GONE!!!''  The Invisible God's form changes 
first into the Trickster then into Malachi then into Annilla and last into his blue robed form.  He says ``I have 
been with you always if you knew where to look for me.''  The Invisible God waves his hand and the scene 
outside the control complex dissolves to the star studded scene and the metallic plain again.  Cragspider 
slumps to the floor, her will and energy spent.  The Dragon Emperor returns his dagger to its sheath, but he 
continues to watch Cragspider warily.   
 
	The Invisible God says ``It would seem you are heroes, heroines and godlings indeed!  Yet, we 
cannot remain this way forever.  Chaos, entropy really, can be postponed in its cycles, but it cannot be 
cheated altogether, and I would not have it any other way.  We must decide what is to be done about 
Creation.'' 
 
	Branham turns his gaze to the top of the crystal dome and stares out into space, seeking out a 
particular star.  After a sigh, Branham states ``Perhaps the matter could be more easily settled if you told us 
what precisely Zhalindor is.''  Phineas adds ``it would help me out `God' if you could tell me why you created 
Zhalindor to begin with'' 
 
	The Invisible God ponders this for a moment and says ``I do not think you would understand the 
answer in its fullness.  I do not patronize you in this answer.  It is true.'' 
 
	Tremir says ``what options do we have at this point?'' 
 
	The Invisible God states ``what do you think the options are?'' 
 
	Miriya says ``the True Way, Creation is restored and the Void and Chaos put out.'' 
 
	Leoshi says ``restored to the way it was with all in harmony according to its own design.'' 
 
	Vorondil says ``everything destroyed and completely obliterated as though it never existed.'' 
 
	Huvis says ``the war continues and the forces of Law and Magic prevail.'' 
 
	Tremir says ``a fight, and the victor is determined through will and spirit.'' 
 
	Granth says ``the power of the Runes shines through and purges the world of the unnatural blight 
upon it.'' 
 
	Risk enters the chamber and says ``we are each given our own realm and Zhalindor remains as a 
Nexus for us as we enter Solstice.'' 
 
	Guy enters the chamber behind Risk and says ``I just destroy you all and take control of Creation.''   
``You all did not do so well the first time around'' says Guy as he nods to the Invisible God.   All heads turn 
toward Guy, and the blank stares are followed by all nature of missile weapons and the crackle of spells from 
the party as gifts of greeting to Guy. 
 
[Let the games begin!]