The Cecily in the room questions them, trying to determine who they are and what they are doing there. They tell "Cecily" that they are there to get everyone home, that they are working with Dihada to do so. "Cecily" points out that opening the door alerted "the master," and that while they could stop the party from taking the Heart, they suspected they would die in the process. They offer to give the group the heart in exchange for telling Dihada to free them as well. Through liberal use of charms, they convince the party to agree. "Cecily" becomes ooze, merging with the large oozing creature attached to the ceiling. It removes the Heart of Fear from the body on the dais and hands it to Mira. There is a bright flash of light as it does so, and Casitus emerges from the shadows on the wall. He lunges for the Heart; the oblex transforms into Talthis, stopping him mid-grasp and holding him back easily. Dihada appears as well, floating in the air and laughing with malice. They say, "Finally, free at last." They take the Heart from Mira and, with their source of power returned to them, merges with the body on the dais. Castius, flung into a wall by the oblex, takes to cowering in fear as the party discusses their exact course of actions in the immediate future. The oblex Dominates Vera, using them to request that it too be freed from this realm.

Ultimately, the group agrees to go back to Hullbreach to pass along the message to everyone that Dihada will be assisting everyone return home. The party agrees to be sent to Oceanside. While Dihada attempts to figure out where that is, Vera runs off to find Narci and Thea to let them know as well. Vera promises to write, hopeful that perhaps they will meet again. While returning to the group, Vera trips and falls into ice cold water and begins to sink. Unable to breath or focus on a wild shape to assist them, Vera hears Casitus in their mind: "I'll get one of you before you leave." Another voice echoes through the space, filling it entirely. "Granddaughter, how can it be that you are afraid of the dark? You are better than this, are you not. You have merely to stand and breathe." They do indeed stand, back in the hallway, coughing up water and soaking wet. They return to the group, and Dihada opens a portal that leads them to Oceanside.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the sand is warm, and a tarrasque is stampeding through the city. The party immediately mobilizes, aware that they cannot possibly fight off such a creature, but can help mitigate damage, mostly by finding survivors and escapees and helping them get to safety. Dorean saves an old woman crossing the road. Eck and Mira, aided by Black and Yellow, rescue people from a falling wall. Luna is forced to pick between rescuing someone from a collapsing pile of rubble and preventing more people from going into the danger zone; she chooses to prevent the group from going into danger, tragically leaving the trapped people to their demise. Ward, focusing on triage, encounters an out-of-control triceratops and wagon barreling toward him and the person his is tending to. He attempts to talk the triceratops into calming down, barely managing to succeed in calming it enough to follow some simple directions through the town. Vera, the tarrasque's attention drawn, attempts to lead it out of town by the shortest means possible. As it attempts to attack them, the Platinum dragon rushes in from the skies, scrapping with the monstrosity and allowing Vera to assist in removing people from danger. Bahamut is not as strong as the tarrasque, but she is more nimble.

While assisting people, Dorean sees a shadowy, hooded figure with a knife dodge into an alleyway; she follows, because that looks like bad news. Eck is absolutely delighted by the sight of the dragon and goes high, both to watch the dragon fighting and to find people to help. While at height, they briefly spot Meneldin in the crowd, but loses him quickly. Ward is grasped and pulled into an alley. Large bear woman with a long winding tattoo across her face and body; she has a large axe and two bear minions. Ward demands to know if they have to do this right now; she agreees as long as he doesn't try to leave town. He also agrees and runs back into the mess; he tells them to make themselves useful in the meantime, which they seem to do. Bahamut manages to trip the tarrasque into a Gate, causing it to vanish to somewhere else, allowing everyone to focus entirely on recovery without the immediate danger of the creature. Seven golden dragons appear, some of them scolding Bahamut for going out into combat without approval. They are also told to make themselves useful.

Later, Bahamut, in her humanoid form, approaches the Adventurer's Guild, as does the Prince of Oceanside. He thanks her and invites her to the palace for a feast and rest. While she seems inclined to join, her attendants do not wish for her to do so. The Prince notices the group, resting at the guild and observing this interaction, and invites them as well, in appreciation for also stepping up to help a city that is not their own. Upon hearing Eck's name, Bahamut's attendants focus on them; Bahamut calls them off. She warns Eck to be careful where they share their full name, as their "friend" is somewhat infamous. She also offers them a small pin—a sword made out of one of her scales—so they can use it to stop future metallic dragons from giving them lip. She asks the Prince for permission to bring in some of her knights and clerics to help with the injurred—an offer he happily accepts—and decides that she will, indeed, stay for dinner.

As they travel to the palace, Ward tells the group that while dealing with things, he encountered a woman who wants to kill him. Eck also lets everyone know that they spotted Meneldin. Margaux appears next to Ward and asks who Meneldin is. Ward tells the party that this is the woman who wants to kill him. Margaux is confused, because she had been told that Ward was calluding with the prince's brother to overthrow the throne. He invites her along with them to the palace, as she did help during the attack, so he can explain his side of things. She agrees, and the party heads to the palace. Ward also lets Cecily know that they are in Oceanside and having supper with the Prince, offering not further details; Cecily's response is, "What the fuck, Ward?"

The evening begins with a long soak in a communal bath in the palace. Vera and Eck, noticing Bahamut has also joined, decide to bother her. Bahamut asks how Snowcap is. She understands Snowcap's frustrations with and bemoans the concept of suitors, though as Bahamut, she has the priviledge of saying, "No." She observes that Snowcap is strange, because her mortals are happy, which is unusual for chromatic dragons. She further observes that if one of her followers is Eck, then she has hopes for a good future.

Ward asks Margaux about Modrod and how the Faewild is fairing. She says that Modrod is currently wearing a fake mustache and calling himself Senor Modrod. The Faewild has suffered much the same as the Material plane; some shards are their own Faewild, which has made for an interesting mix of fae. Ward explains his side of the situation, trying to put the world back together and not to overthrow the throne. Margaux decides to do what she can to stall for him on the condition that he does what he can to fix things. She also requests that Ward ask "the hot one" if they'd be interested in swinging by her room that night. She does not elaborate on who "the hot one" is.

As they prepare to leave the bath, Bahamut's grasp on Eck tightens as Vera's raven friend alights on Vera's shoulder.

Introduced

• Bahamut
• Y'reaus
• Prince Haiyin
• Margaux

Returning

• Dihada
• Casitus Jerrick
• Vera's raven friend

Mentioned

• Cecily Cardew