The party finalizes preparations before departing Drose, including the creation of valuable scrolls from an old Arcanaloth spellbook and a successful gamble that earns Shanks a plastique recipe. On the Swift Hummingbird, Shanks and Greyleaf have a heartfelt conversation about Greyleaf’s transformation and his past as Kyver, establishing trust while reflecting on how far they’ve come. Upon reaching the snowy Barrier Range, the party adapts to the harsh conditions—especially Zechs, whose enhanced senses from Malar’s gift make the journey uncomfortable. At the Goliath village, Galahad meets with Pakia and shares his lineage, which is recognized and respected. The group is invited to stay and join the local festival, where they reflect on their journey so far through drinks, stories, and camaraderie.

During the festival, the party enjoys exhibition matches, with Galahad narrowly defeating General Tharia in a dramatic fight, earning mutual respect. Revelry follows, with impressive drinking feats from Shanks, Galahad, and Zechs—who surprises everyone by outdrinking them all. Later, Shanks and Greyleaf discuss Rig and the gods’ manipulation of mortals, especially regarding Glad and her conflict with her patron. Meanwhile, Galahad learns the deeper history of his ancestors' departure from Sloane. The party leaves the Range and heads to Nymora, where Zechs reveals to the group that he suspects he’s not the only child imbued with Malar’s essence. He requests Greyleaf’s help to deal with Alma, whom he encountered at Salix’s hermitage and believes must be stopped before others suffer as he did.

As the group arrives in Nymora, they split off for various errands—Shanks and Greyleaf visit Potions and Lotions and have a meaningful conversation with Rig, while Zechs informs his parents he won’t be staying with them. At their inn, Hoshino utilizes the Magnificent Mansion to create a luxurious shared space, providing the group with a comfortable place to plan their next moves. Hoshino visits his devastated hometown of Yahnkoshi via Dimension Door and retrieves a sample of Eldertwine, sparking a discussion on how to stop the plague. The party shares magical resources, discusses battle strategy, and begins preparations to extract Malar from Zechs. As tensions rise and stakes grow heavier, they find strength in one another, each conversation and step deepening their resolve for the challenges ahead.

There’s so much happening, and we pick up with arc 25, “The Darkness Within”.

How will the rest of this story unfold?

Find out next time on the Medusa’s Cascade: Collateral Damage!