Abandoning it for wine sounded like a fine idea. After all, they didn't know anything about the bloody sphere. For all they knew it would disappear tomorrow and everything would be right as rain. Saying that out loud here and now was likely to earn him two lectures. One from the lovely lady in the white, and the other from the ugly fellow covered in white hair. He didn't want to listen to either one of them tell him about how they ought to be helping people and not waiting around for something to happen. Not knowing what the hell this thing was or how it had come to be here, Skandra didn't have many suggestions. But they weren't going to learn anything from up here. Somebody was going to have to go in there. He didn't like that idea, at all, but there wasn't much of a choice. All of his gear was still on his person - bag, alchemist's kit, food and canteen.
Everything he'd need if he were stuck in there for days.
"We've never seen its like," Shantar finally spoke up. "Priestess Aeotha, passage through this barrier is possible. It may very well be unwise. But I agree that we must go. Perhaps with a party more learned in the arcane, we shall stand a better chance of returning. The boy and I will go with you."
"Like hell," Skandra muttered.
Shantar's sharp kick to his calf nearly buckled Skandra's knee. Only a firm resolve and a desire not to embarrass himself kept him on his feet. Aeotha was watching with those almond-shaped eyes, a slight smile on her face, as if she were enjoying watching Skandra be scolded without words by his grandfather. This wouldn't do. Even the priestesses assembled behind her, with knocking knees and trembling faces, had the stuff to go into the damn sphere. Bah. Whoever wanted to be a fucking hero, anyway? It hardly mattered if you could or couldn't do it. It was accolades that everybody wanted, wasn't it?
"Usually I agree on a price first," Skandra began.
Shantar kicked him again, harder this time, and the younger Immortal resisted the urge not to punch his aged grandfather in his fucking face. Still didn't collapse.
It ached like hell.
"In this case we can make an exception. We'll try it with rope this time, on the off chance it will keep us connected here. You, me, Shantar and two others ought to do it. What do you say, Priestess Aeotha?"
Her formal title was followed by a bow from the waist, which set one of the younger priestesses behind Aeotha to giggling. Oh, now she was going to be very upset about that, wasn't she?