Chapter 4.31

Chapter 4.31
Chapter 4.30	Chapter 4.32 G
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Chapter 4.31 is the 37th and last chapter of Volume 4 and Book 5, The Last Light.

tl;dr[edit | edit source]

Teriarch reanimates Ryoka, burns Venitra and returns Ryoka to Liscor. She finally reveals to Ilvriss that the Necromancer killed Periss. Winter ends and Ryoka leaves everyone behind.

Synopsis[edit | edit source]

After Ryoka dies she sees her body lying on the floor. Teriarch reconstructs her heart and Ryoka regains conciousness. Venitra, still [Hasted] outside, stops when she hears the second roar but she assumes Ryoka has stumbled upon some monster of the High Passes and she enters the cave fearlessly. She encounters Teriarch and demands Ryoka be handed over when he roars once more and Venitra realises she's falling as she crashes into the mountain. Teriarch leaves his cave and burns her with his breath before calling out to Az'kerash.
When Venitra had been frozen Az'kerash had called out to her to stop her from entering the cave but she didn't seem to hear. He and the chosen witness Venitra being hurled out of the cave and burnt by Teriarch, so he orders Kerash to teleport there and bring her back. But Bea tells her that a [Message] spell has arrived addressed to him, which automatically opens and writes: "Worm." in the air and is accompanied by fire that ignites the room. Az'kerash manages to put up a flame ward to protect himself and manages to put out the fire after his chosen are hit.
Incensed, Teriarch's words castigate Az'kerash for sending his minions to his home and Az'kerash has his chosen leave the room while asking the dragon to calm down. They argue over Az'kerash endangering a messenger and Az'kerash not wanting his location to be revealed. Teriarch sends more fire into the room and Teriarch declares that Ryoka is under his protection. Az'kerash agrees and asks to collect Venitra and Teriarch obliges. Az'kerash points out that he didn't think a City Runner merited the dragon's protection but Teriarch thinks Ryoka deserves respect. The conversation ends and Az'kerash concludes that this ordeal ended poorly, but then reconsiders his appraisal.
Ryoka watches Teriarch breathe his fire and she thinks it's beautiful and the she begins to cry for Ivolethe. Teriarch picks her up and flies out of his cave with her towards Liscor, both invisible. The two talk and Teriarch apologizes for Az'kerash coming after her and assures her that he won't come after her again. Ryoka asks if Teriarch will put another geas on her, but he decides against it. They land in Liscor, Teriarch still invisible and he apologizes to her once again before leaving and Ryoka returns to the city in time for the funerals.
Everyone is present for the funeral of Brunkr and Ulrien, Ryoka stands alone, but all the adventurers, the Antinium, Zel and Ilvriss, the Watch and the everyone from the inn are there. Erin still had a bandaged right arm, but Pisces and a healing potion had helped. Jelaqua, Moore and Halrac are still injured, with Jelaqua's current body stitched together. The Gnolls lay Brunkr's sword and armor with his body but Ulrien's gear is taken from him. After everyone pays their respects Krshia asks if anyone wishes to speak but nobody does. The two bodies are then cremated by Krshia and Halrac. Halrac shoots an enchanted arrow into the sky, he shoots a second and they hit each other and explode into light, he continues and Revi and Typhenous also begin a magical display. Jelaqua throws an alchemist solution that ignites and Moore sends leaves into the sky. The Horns and other adventurers join in.
After the funeral Erin returns to the inn with the others. The drinks are free for the night and she puts some faerie flowers in Mrsha and Lyonette's drinks to help them sleep. Ryoka drinks alone and Halrac refuses the faerie flower drink, choosing to sit with his team. Erin hits level 32 when she goes to sleep. The next day she talks to Ryoka about her letter, Ryoka explains that Regrika and Ikriss came to kill her and Erin asks why she didn't tell anyone. Erin guesses that Teriarch came to help Ryoka but she doesn't confirm anything and tells her that it's too dangerous, even to tell a Gold-rank adventurer. Erin asks Ryoka to leave the inn after she's done visiting people, at least for a day or more.
Halrac and Griffon Hunt leave the inn, unable to stay at the Wandering Inn. Jelaqua apologises for Revi's words as she leaves and Erin asks if the Half-seekers will leave too, but they stay citing how hard it is to find another inn that will let them in. Jelaqua comforts Erin after she reflects that bad things always happens around the inn. Krshia asks Ryoka who ordered Regrika but Ryoka tells her she can't tell her. Krshia confirms that Ryoka is still a friend to Gnolls despite what's happened, but she does ask if Ryoka will leave for a while. Ryoka then heads to Zel and Ilvriss, she asks to talk to Zel in private but Ilvriss demands to know who sent Regrika.
Ryoka finally reveals to him that it was the Necromancer that killed Periss and she and Zel head to a warded room to talk. Zel had already figured it out but Ryoka can't tell him everything because of her backer. Zel finds out that the Necromancer doesn't know that Ryoka's allowed to talk about him. Zel assures Ryoka that Ilvriss might be willing to join hands with Zel on this but asks Ryoka who else he could talk to that won't arouse the Necromancer's suspicions. Ryoka mentions Magnolia and Zel mentions that he received a letter from her but didn't want to talk to her after Sserys advising caution with her. He tells Ryoka about Sserys' class: [Spear of the Drakes] and how he died before gaining a single skill in the class. Ryoka leaves after promising to help him if he needs more information.
Ryoka returns to the inn and also talks to Lyonette and Mrsha before beginning to pack. Teriarch appears before her in his human guise to apologize to her and he comments that he had forgotten what the outside world was like. He tells Ryoka that he doesn't think Ivolethe is dead, at least not her spirit as her King isn't that cruel. He concludes that she was banished from this world due to breaking his rules, at least for thousands of years. Teriarch confirms that there are no undead in the city and Ryoka asks why everyone died if it's just going to end like this. Teriarch admits that if he battled the Necromancer he isn't sure if he can win, and he also knows of Az'kerash's past.
They hear a drumbeat from outside the city, it's the Goblin lord's army and Ryoka begs Teriarch to stop him. Teriarch refuses asking what about next time? Would he have to destroy all monsters as long as they exist, and what about other species. He declares that he will not save anyone. Ryoka asks if he sees evil in front of him why wouldn't he stop it, but Teriarch just tells her that the Goblins are as innocent as any race, perhaps more than others. Ryoka tells him that she's leaving, to Celum and somewhere else.
Az'kerash tells Venitra that her decisions led to this situation and that she no longer holds his favor and likewise Ijvani has failed him. Az'kerash decides that Ryoka is no longer a concern, but Zel, Ilvriss and perhaps the Antinium are. Az'kerash however does believe that Teriarch has revealed his weakness in Ryoka Griffin and unlike Magnolia Reinhart she is less well protected.
Winter had ended and the Frost Faeries leave. Ryoka runs out of Celum heading north while Erin tries to call out to her to ge ther to come back. Erin steps back into her inn with Ishkr boarding up the windows and Lyonette and Mrsha heading to the safety of Celum. Erin sits in her inn thinking about everyone being gone and the Goblins arriving.