Moses moves towards the sounds of Drabash dying as Yeenoghu smashes the half-orc with his mighty flail.  Even after the first hit falls the demon lord howls and cackles in delight as he continues to smash Drabash's limb form on the ground.  Tibi, who has a front row seat, watches in horror as the demon lord ends Drabash's life.

As Yeenoghu looks around for another victim the cackling demon lord shuts his maw and narrows his eyes, gazing up toward the sky as a beam of radiant light pierces the haze. A powerful angel streaks down from above, followed by a gold-furred mammoth with feathered wings. The angel slashes her sword across Yeenoghu’s chest and utters a spell. A portal opens behind the demon lord as the mammoth rams its head into Yeenoghu. The demon lord is sent tumbling through the portal, which quickly closes behind him.

Around you and throughout the village knights on horseback charge, and any remaining gnolls and other creatures are soon swept away by the knights.  Looking around at them in awe they can be no others than the mighty Hellriders who accompanied Zariel to Avernus.

The angel lands on the ground as you rush to see if you can aid Drabash.  The angel kneels down and with a touch and a word life and breath returns to Drabash.  Reaching out a hand she helps Drabash to his feet.

She motions for you to follow her.  You move toward the center of town and there you find neat rows of knights mounted on horses, the hellriders assembled in the center of town. One of these Hellriders, a woman in her thirties with a fresh, deep cut on her cheek, approaches.  "Thank you for your help.  I am Yael." She gives a wink before lining up to join the rest of the battalion. You also recognize Olanthius, Haruman, and other original Hellriders you have come across during their travels in Avernus.

The angel looks at each of you in turn. "I am Zariel, and this.." She motions to the winged mammoth, "is Lulu the hollyphant in shapechanged form." Lulu waves at you with her trunk and her ears flap. "As my commander has said, thank you for your help in this matter and for protecting this village. I must now prepare to leave."

She then mutters a few more words and a large portal is created at the end of the road.  Yael calls to the hellriders who turn to enter the portal.  Zariel moves to lead.

As Zariel prepares to lead her forces through the portal into Avernus, all other creatures except for her, Lulu, and you stop moving and responding as if frozen in time. Even the smoke of the fires around you and any villagers are frozen in time. Zariel turns to the you and says, “Yeenoghu slaughtered those I swore to protect. I can stop him and others like him. I might have to give up all I stand for, but I could stem the tide of chaos and save many lives from the demonic terrors of the Abyss. Were you in my place, would you risk it all to save others?”

She looks at each of you in turn. How do you answer?

Tibi looks over a Lulu and says with a smile “well I suppose I’ll have to stop calling you Little One, Little One?”

He then turns to Zariel and bowing with a flourish says “an interesting philosophical question you pose. I’ve obviously not existed for as long as you have my lady but since I’ve commenced my travels to find the dragon who slaughtered my flock. I’ve learnt a few things such as we do not always know all the facts necessary to make a fully informed decision, and different viewpoints – which is I guess is why you’re seeking our views – can help us to reach a decision.

While the final decision is ultimately yours let’s explore the issue a little further shall we. We – well you – know that you have the power and the resources to avenge those whom you swore to protect; this what my friend Vah Jo Gyaan Chaahata Hai, or Dr Arbuataveyu as he is often called as his name is a bit of a mouthful would say ‘ahbut these are what we would call the known knowns,’ and then there are what Dr A would call the known unknowns. That is we know that the demons would respond to your invasion but what we do not know is exactly how this would happen and what form it might take. And then most importantly there are what Dr A would call the unknown unknowns such as:
one, what will be the impact on you, a celestial creature, of an extended stay in the infernal planes?
two, what will the impact be of the demons inevitable response to your invasion?

So in summary let me ask you a question my lady does the short-term goal of revenge offset the impact of what may be a never-ending bloody active war between the celestial  and infernal planes?”

When Zariel looks at Kaelani, he bows his head and says to her, "Lady, you know what I am. I was placed in the world to serve as a guardian of law and good. I am but a pale reflection of your radiance, but this single thing I know to the core of my being. You can only control yourself. Nothing more,  nothing less. If you surrender what you stand for, then you surrender your will and your moral compass. With no compass and no rudder to steer against the tides and currents of the world, then you are vessel adrift - tossed about be every wave and gust of wind. No, I would stand firm and hold to my beliefs. The fate of the world is not in our hands - but what we do while we are in it IS. Stand firm. I would risk all I have to save others, but if I sacrifice my beliefs then it is all in vain."

Moses's scaly brow lowers as Kaelani speaks. "Yes, what do you mean when you say you might have to give up all you stand for? I am my Lord's servant. He has given me my task. In a way, I have given up everything — my home, my profession, my comfort and security. He has given me a hard job to do, but I know that He will never ask me to do something that is wrong. While I have given up everything that made me me in the name of the I Am who sent me, I could never give up all that I stand for because He is what I stand for. And, no, I could never give Him up. No good could ever come of that."

"Milady" says Drabash, "I gave all I had to try to save these people, and thank you for restoring my life. I would gladly stand again against such odds if I thought it would save the people. But this is what I stand for. Fighting for what we stand for gives meaning  and hope to our lives and those of others. To give up what I stand for would be to give up living, it would be a living death from which there is no escape. I beseech you, do not pursue a path that leads to utter damnation. Keep hold of what you stand for and use that to power your resolve to continue fighting for what is right." 

Zariel looks at the group.  "I only ask what you would do, I'm not seeking your advise in how I should act.  Time has already played out and my decisions are my own."

"Kaelani would not, for he would not sacrifice his beliefs.  Moses is the same, he would not risk giving up his God, a risk to great. Do I understand you correctly?"

"As for you Drabash, your answer is less clear.  But if I hear you correctly you would risk it all, as you already have."

Then she turns to Tibi.

"And you? Would you risk it all?"

"And you? Would you risk it all?" Zariel asks

To this command Tibi responds "my lady I thought I'd explained my position exactly as my colleague Dr A would have but I guess this is why he is a respected academic, admittedly he doesn't blow his own trumpet like Volothamp Geddarm does, and researcher at the Great Library at Candlekeep, and I'm not. In short if I thought the end justified the means I do it but if not I wouldn't!" 

Kelani nods - the angel understands him perfectly well.

"I will not," Moses says, thumping his staff against the ground to emphasize his words.

Drabash Flexes, sending a ripple through his muscles and responds to Zariel. "I will put my axe to use until my last breath for a cause I think is right, but I will not undertake an activity that destroys what I am and what I stand for. I would not take that path."

"Moses, Kaelani and Drabash would not and yes Tibi the end does justify the means, and so I'll take your answer as yes." She then utters a word of blessing on the name of Lathander over each of you and you feel a charm added to your vitality.

Moses, Kaelani and Drabash get

Charm of Restoration

This charm has 6 charges. You can use an action to expend some of its charges to cast one of the following spells: greater restoration (4 charges) or lesser restoration (2 charges). Once all its charges have been expended, the charm vanishes from you.

Tibi gets

Charm of Vitality

This charm allows you to give yourself the benefit of a potion of vitality as an action. Once you do so, the charm vanishes from you.

She then turns and follows the Hellriders through the portal.  As the portal closes Lulu’s Idyllglen memory ends. A flash of light brings you back to the Bleeding Citadel.

You stand before the dais, atop which glows the Sword of Zariel. Also before you are Lulu and the ghostly warrior, Yael. The hollyphant is the first to speak. “I remember everything now. Idyllglen was the last straw. We followed Zariel to Avernus, but the evil there proved to be too much for us. Asmodeus appeared and promised Zariel infernal legions to end the Blood War, but she had to give the Lord of the Nine Hells her fealty. She accepted and became an archdevil, but not before Yael and I took her sword, hoping it could redeem Zariel someday. I gave up my magic and memories, and Yael gave her life to construct this place to protect the sword.”

Yael’s ghost says, “You have faced many trials to claim the Sword of Zariel. I’m sorry to say, you face one more. As the inscription on the dais says, ‘The hero who becomes one with this blade exists no longer.’ Which of you is brave enough to draw the blade and be gone forever?”

Moses blinks. Gone forever? He can't help but look at the others, trying to see if they are having the same confused reaction as he. The dragonborn then looks at the floor, his mind's eye replaying the memory of a bush on fire and yet flourishing as he silently asks, "This isn't what you want from me, is it? I have not yet freed my people as you commanded. But how can I stand by and let one of these ... " Moses frowns at the ghost and asks, "What does it mean to exist? And what do you mean by 'gone'?"

"It means you will no longer be who you are now.  Think of it as a rebirth.  You will change and become more than who you are now and yet who you are will be gone." Is the reply the ghostly form of Yael gives.

Tibi looks at the sword and says in his usual irreverent voice "I'm not a long sword type! Any chance you can make it a rapier?Actually more seriously I'm the last of my flock and I've got nothing other than you 'orrible lot tying me to this place so unless anybody else wants to chance it,  I guess as the Decisionist it falls to me to step up and draw the blade!" He looks around "anyone?" 

If nobody else seems to want to step up Tibi will do so.

Drabash looks at his axes, looks at the sword. "How does one become one with a sword," he wonders. "Once one of us becomes one with the sword, what are we meant to do?" He ask aloud.

Moses has never held a sword, and he doesn't think he's ready to become one with one.

The ghostly figure Yael answers again.   "With the power of the Sword you must try and redeem Zariel and save the City of Elturel.   Release the chains that hold the city so it may return to the Material Plane."

(We can wait till Rhanloi is back in a couple of days to make your decision on who will take the Sword.)

The aasimar steps forward and turns to face the group. "I will accept this burden, and fate. My blood runs with the power of celestials and I am sworn to protect these people. I will draw the sword, try and redeem Zariel, and save the City of Elturel."

Provided noone objects, Kaelani will step to the dais and grip the Sword of Zariel with both hands to pull it from the stone.

Tibi bows to Kaelani and says "its all yours my friend - good luck!"