Managing Without the Rope

She peered over the edge of the cliff. "I think I can climb down over there." She pointed at a spot about ten yards distant, where some of the cliff seemed to have broken away and fallen into the lake, leaving a slightly less vertical slope with some potential footholds.

"What if you slipped and fell?"

"I hope that I won't, but if I do then with any luck the water will be deep enough that I'll come to no harm."

"But if the ghost wants the bones buried in a proper grave, you won't be able to help her, as you could never climb back up while carrying them."

"That's true. But I'll say the Aqualarian funeral rite over the cairn. I've been to enough state funerals and it's quite short, so I should be able to remember it. Though it's not her religion, or even in her language, I'm hoping that if I say the words with evident reverence it will be enough to satisfy her."

1. Astra manages to climb down, and starts to swim across the lake.
2. Astra has not descended very far when she slips and falls into the water.
3. Before Astra can start to climb down they hear a noise in the distance.
4. Before Astra can start to climb down the ghost rises again,

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