Episode 107 - Nobody Left Behind

## Synopsis

Having entered the raised fountain, Winsler and Serinepth follow the corridor for a few minutes before coming to a carved archway. While the worked graystone walls and roof stayed at the same height, the floor started angling downwards. Upon casting Produce Flame to allow Serinepth to see where they were going, Winsler and Serinepth saw hundreds of pea sized eyes watching them from all around, before these same creatures scurried away before they could be properly observed. Serinepth and Winsler heard the sound of running water and marked a musty smell, before discovering two large, old wooden doors on either side of the corridor. The left door was covered in muddy traces, so Winsler opened it. Standing immediately behind the door was Ari the golem, wearing a large dark blue to black cloak studded with stars and holding a candle.

Ari explains in detail all the ways in which Winsler and to a lesser degree Phillip and Serinepth have wronged the golems. Ari's chamber, filled with tools and workbenches, also contained 30-40 deactivated Jeeds. He cryptically states that Phillip has "paid the price", without elaborating when Serinepth voices strong concerns over her beloved friend. Ari gives each student a task. He asks Winsler to make sure the golems are invited back into the school to be its caretakers. Winsler agrees to do this without having any clear idea how to achieve this. Ari then tasked Serinepth with helping Yog enroll at Wildcliff as a regular student, ushering in a new era of golem integration into society. Serinepth enthusiastically agreed, relieved that Ari seemed clement towards her. As this conversation had taken around nine minutes, Winsler and Serinepth hurried on to find Aira Allaro.

In the meantime, Integrity and Mira met up in the Planar Research Department where Integrity told Mira about the scary eyes she saw by the Evocation Fields. Mira consoled Integrity, who was clearly distressed by what she had seen. Mira, in turn, told Integrity about the black birds in the old chapel. When she asked Integrity what they might have meant by "the Warlock", Integrity became very agitated, but tried to play it cool and pretend she had no idea who the birds were referring to.

Back in Ari's chamber Serinepth spotted Aira sitting beneath Ari's giant table, hugging her knees and looking both embarassed and tired. Integrity offered to give Aira a hug to make her feel better. Aira declined the offer, remarking that both her study buddy Integrity and Serinepth were particularly fond of hugging. Serinepth explained how her friends would hug her whenever she was feeling sad as a child. Aira said that she didn't have any friends growing up, which is why she isn't particularly fond of hugs. Serinepth tried to comfort Aira, saying that she, too, was afraid of going back to the Plane of Isathil. Aira gave her account of what happened, explaining that while Murundeen was setting Pseudodragon traps, the sounds of nature -the rattling of trees and chirping of birds- seemed to be calling out to her, beckoning her to follow. She couldn't quite explain how, but she explained that after she was compelled to follow the call, her entire group was hurt. Veldon Deeplake and Corrina Lindeman were even more seriously harmed than she was, and Aira was concerned that she was going to be tempted into following the same sounds if she met them again, and that her teammates would be in even greater danger the next time. Aira looked pleadingly at Serinepth with "sad and scared eyes", entreating her to share some similar story to ease Aira's own guilt. Serinepth opted to tell the truth, and told a story from her childhood to console Aira and offer some advice. Serinepth told Aira about how she overcame her own fear of thunderstorms through dilligent research. Convinced by Serinepth that knowing was half the battle, Aira agreed to come with SWIM and her own team to the Plane of Isathil. They discovered, however, that the portal's opening hours had passed, and that the trio would have to find another way to travel there.

While Mira and Integrity were impatiently waiting for Serinepth and Winsler while discussing what to do, an unravelling Artis told them to go with Desa's group and offer thanks to the Elder on his behalf, while he run off in search of the missing SWIM members. Desa said this was a "terrible idea", but asked Mira and Integrity not to tell Artis since the two are good friends.

Hoping to replicate an earlier trick, Winsler planted a Door Seed in a mound of dirt on Ari's floor, before using Create Water to instantly make the seed sprout into a large portal. Winsler jumped through the door, with Serinepth and Aira following while holding hands. Inside the liminal semi-plane of the Door Seed Winsler could see several grid structures which had collapsed since he was last there. The trio easily found the portal leading to bright Pitter and jumped through.