Upon reaching the elevator shaft where they descended, the party sees that the ropes they used are still hanging from the pulleys. Howerver it appears that the insect’s shell, which they still carry, may have trouble fitting through.

The Arc-miner Erag is lifted to the top first, and he uses his magical amulet to widen the shaft so the shell may fit through. It is lifted up next, and then the rest of the party follows.

Their first breath of fresh air in five days is slightly chilly; it seems that autumn has set in. Though it is midday, the sky is dark with clouds and they hear a rumble of thunder. The party finds their horses as they left them, although they appear hungry and are certainly excited when they see their masters.

As they are packing up their gear, the rain starts. It is decided that they must move quickly if they are to make it to the camp they had set up a few miles from here.

While exiting the forest, they see on the road what looks to have been a wagon, but it is completely smashed. Elowisyl catches a glimpse of something moving near the pile, and he believes it to be an insect-like being feeding on something. The party rushes to attack, flinging arrows and magic at it, and it scurries into the forest after taking a hit.

They approach the wagon to check it out, but as they come nearer Elowisyl notices that the insect (which appers to be a smaller version of the scorpion they encountered in the caves) is circling around and attempting to flank them. The party turns to attack it and deals several crushing blows, but the creature manages to wound two party members severely.

Finally the beast is defeated and the party looks over the remains of the wagon. Apparently the wagon was carrying several Northmen miners, and was attacked by kobolds — the scorpion was feeding on the corpses of those who had fallen. The party searches through the wagon and finds a couple of purses with some silver and gold in them.

Meran decides that these people’s bodies must be treated with honor, and he sets the wagon ablaze. The party then hurries to the west toward their shelter, to avoid the worst of the storm. Even so, it is raining very hard and the way is difficult. Along the way they see a strange orange glow from the area to the south, and are able to surmise that Ransburgh is burning. The fire is so large that the rain seems not to be affecting it.

As the shelter is neared, Meran notices insect tracks all over the area. Some of them are a week or more old, and they have moved in and out of the hideout area. Torches in hand, the party descends into the cave to see if any insects remain.

They reach the bottom of the cavern and see, huddled together, several zombies. They seem to be torn apart badly, ostensibly due to battle with the insect Terrors. They recoil slightly from the light of the torches, but soon strike angrily at the party with their fists and the rusty blades that they carry.

After a few moments the zombies are dispatched, although it appears that their remains are still moving. Meran suggests that they be burned, and a small fire is set to destroy the remnants. The party sets up camp on the other side of the cavern, and are finally given some time to talk with the Kaern-folk.

The Kaern ask they how they got involved in this mess, and the party relates the story of how they met. Also told is how Erillas and Orunn were captured by the Duke and how they found that he was in league with the evil that is plaguing the land. The Kaern are appalled by this story and saddened. The party invites them to come along to Tymirr, as they may find their other Kaern friends there. The stout miners agree.

In the morning after breakfast and prayers, they begin their trek towards Tymirr. The rains from the day before have subsided, but since the ground has hardened with the cold there has been some flooding. As they pass the castle at South Tymirr, they see legions of insects in formation off in the distance. The castle has apparently become a permanent residence for the bugs.

Soon they see that a large pool of water, several feet deep, has covered part of the road and they must go around. They opt to go to the west, further away from South Tymirr and the insect armies. While circumventing the pool they pass several farms, most of them uninhabited. The third farm that they pass seems to have several people on the roof of the barn. Moving closer to investigate, it seems that the barn is flooded in several feet of water, and the farmer and his family are huddled on the roof under blankets.

The party approaches and calls to them, asking if they can help. The farmer stands up on the roof and, waving a hay fork, yells at them to get off his land. Elowisyl tells them that it will be much safer if they came along to Tymirr with them. The man refuses and adds several racial epithets against Elves. Elowisyl asks him if there is another reason that they are on the roof besides the water. The man replies, “Naw, there’s somethin’ in my barn!”

Elowisyl asks him if the party can take care of it for him, and the farmer says that they would probably die if they tried, and he doesn’t want “Yer Elvish brethren knockin’ on my door accusin’ me of killin’ their kind.” Meran assures him that “This is what we’ve been doing for the past month.” The farmer finally agrees to let them try and kill the creature.

Leaving the Kaern on a hilltop nearby with most of the horses and gear, the party approaches the barn. Peering inside using her newly acquired Dark Vision, Neith sees a huge creature perhaps 100 feet long and 4 feet in diameter — something like a giant water snake. The others consider alternatives to attacking the beast straight-on, but Elowisyl flings the barn door open wide.

The beast is startled and thrusts its huge head through the door, attempting to bite them. Elowisyl slices him hard in the face with his sword, the beast responds by biting him savagely. Meran then gashes him with his bastard axe. Writhing in pain, the beast submerges its head and is seemingly trying to flee. Neith ends his pain by expertly striking him with her rapier. Blood quickly fills the water.

Tying a rope to its head, the party drags the beast from the barn to show the farmer what they had killed. The farmer’s wife is horrified and covers her children’s eyes. After a debate about leaving their “ancestral home,” the farmer reluctantly agrees to accompany them to Tymirr. The party requisitions a wagon from the nearby farmhouse and rigs it to two of their horses.

From here the journey to Tymirr is only a half hour, they can see the towers shimmering in the fading sunlight as they near the city.