Rosa Sedo Credo

> A cookie to those who get the reference.
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## Summary

Layrun and Saya lead Simon, Ronan, Fenix, Bata, Hoopla and Eira inside. Right away Fenix makes a comment on how Panne didn't come with them. Apparently most of the houses were destroyed in the explosion. Fenix begins tidying up before Panne gets there as Saya makes them food. Simon tells the three mutated girls about what happened. Simon begins explaining his faults and that eventually gets to the point where Simon learns that Iris liked him more than a friend. Saya is initially upset that she can't return home because of Simon's cult but Hoopla and Layrun calm her down. They also reveal that Iris is missing but likely still alive.

As Hyacinth arrives, both she and Bata hear strange sounds. Saya hears it too and they hurry outside. They find twig and needle blights outside and according to Hyacinth they are twisted dryads that are attracted to various plants. Hyacinth and Panne approach as Fenix hides in a willow tree. The needle blight approaches Hyacinth full of hostility and the twig blight joins it. Hoopla grows invisible as Panne comes out to protect Hyacinth. Eira sneaks over as Simon tries to get her back. Eira takes out the twig blight with a single shot. The needle blight goes after Hyacinth but Hoopla takes it out with a chromatic orb of fire.

Saya mentions that the blights come out of the nearby grate every so often. Layrun, Eira and Saya stay behind as the party goes into the grate. Hyacinth gives them the sleeping paste they used on the locals before joining them. Panne begins cutting through vines as Hyacinth examines the wildlife. Fenix scouts ahead as the others talk about how he keeps to himself. Fenix hears the conversation and returns wondering if anyone had true sight. Everyone says no so he looks around and finds that whatever's dangerous is in the main hall.

The party slips into the chamber and notice that the magic is coming from the large rose and the portal. Hyacinth pokes the rose and it unfurls to reveal a woman with plants growing all over her body. Simon instantly recognizes her as Iris. He runs to her but she's startled by his appearance and hides in the rose while summoning blights.

Fenix stabs one of the blights as Ronan takes out another with his rapier. He gives bardic inspiration to Hyacinth as Iris comes back out and screams reviving the blight. Iris then recognizes Simon and tells him to get away. Hoopla is conflicted as she breathes out a color spray on the two northernmost blights to blind them before throwing her shortsword and killing one of them. Ray and Uttu take out a blight each and Panne blesses Simon, Hoopla and Hyacinth before attacking a blight with her spiritual weapon. Simon managed to reach Iris by talking about how he saw her with magic as a child for a moment. She points to the portal on the floor giving Fenix the idea of smashing the runes around the portal. Simon backs up and breathes dragon fire onto the runes of the portal. A few runes crack as Bata smirks. Both he and Hyacinth smash a few runes as the needle blight misses it's attack on Ronan. Fenix gets tired of the runes and uses the corrupting touch to destroy the last few runes. Iris falls out of the rose as the needle blight collapses.

Panne heals Iris a bit as they leave the main chamber. Eira hugs her cousin but is pricked by thorns. Simon snickers at the irony as he gets hugged by both Eira and Iris. He also reveals that the cat was out of the bag for her crush. She ends up punching him for his denseness and apologizes for helping Acharn Gerion. Ray assures her that it wasn't her fault. As Iris sees the destruction of Aldcoast and Simon quickly reminds her that Acharn did this and that they have to fix this. Panne is happy that Simon took her advice to heart.

Saya mentions that they found some more people and that they had been put to sleep. Fenix offers to help find more people but his ear hurt from the sounds. Iris then decides to stay in Aldcoast much to Simon's protest. Ray makes a joke about Simon wanting to be closer to Iris. Simon remarks that he's luck that they're on the same side. He eventually allows Iris to stay.

## Notable events

* The party comes together
* Simon reunites with Iris after a scuffle

## Trivia

* The music used during the fight against the blights is a remix of Toriel's boss theme from Undertale.