In Alya, the Ashen Company is beckoned from the barracks to the chapel to wait for Saint Bhraum. The party is distressed by the recent loss of their Cade, and as they wait they find temporary outlets for their anxious energy. Flynn lights up a cigar, but is scolded by the resident caretaker into putting it out. Lotty notices damage to a nearby statue and offers to fix it - the elderly caretaker shuffles off to fetch a ladder. The old woman hovers as the hours go on, offering tea and scones to the party. Null suspects poison, wondering if the caretaker might be Madam Trolley, or perhaps Nassandrial in disguise yet again. Alas, the old woman means well and Null only just manages to get through the interaction without offending her.
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Bhraum eventually arrives and the Ashen Company explains what they need: Their dear friend is lost to the depths. There is no body. He was godforged and had been malfunctioning, suffering the effects of a previous death. Bhraum sighs. This will complicate things and alter the requirements of the ritual. Bhraum asks for a volunteer from the party, someone who is willing to permanently give up part of their soul in order to bring Cade back. Whoever does this will sacrifice their ability to be brought back from death outside of a Revivify spell. Lotty and Flynn both volunteer. Silas asks if we could all participate to up our chances. After some difficult conversations, eventually it is decided that Lotty, newly resurrected Lotty, Cade’s oldest and closest friend, his companion through thick and thin, will be the one to do it. This decision weighs heavily on everyone.
Bhraum hands Lotty a scroll of Soul Burn and the ritual begins. Bhraum locates Cade's soul. Spiritual energies whirl around the chapel. Silas feverishly prays to Aeon.
First to speak is Flynn: he reflects on their friendship and their recent difficulties. He vows to make amends and stresses how much their party needs Cade.
Next is Null: Frantic and a little hysterical. Null declares that Cade, miraculous and long-lived Cade, approaches each day with the vigor of someone a fraction of a fraction of his age. He is the best of us and there is no one who deserves another chance at life more than him.
Finally, Lotty: Lotty’s pleas to Cade’s soul are solemn, apologetic. She softly asks Cade to come back to them, to come back for them. She knows he is at peace and knows this is a selfish request, but she needs him to come back.
Suddenly, Lotty is wracked with pain as the spell takes hold and parts of her soul are sundered. The energies dissipate and the ritual is over. Cade is nowhere to be found. The Ashen Company is devastated all over again, convinced the ritual did not work. Lotty is in shock and in incredible pain. She needs air, needs to be anywhere but this place. She leaves.
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A bird in the rafters observes the palpable grief below. He is unsure of the source of their pain. But they need him, somehow, and he will help however he can. The bird lands and wildshapes into a form the Ashen Company knows well. Cade stands before them, looking different than before, but this is still clearly their dear fallen friend. Nulls shouts for Lotty to come back.
Cade, their beloved Cade, is alive. The Ashen Company’s joy is tempered by a curious expression on Cade’s face - confusion. It becomes clear that he does not remember them. He doesn’t remember anything about their adventures together. He feels drawn to help people. He came to help the Ashen Company because they called out to him. What do they need?
The party is distraught and unsure of what to do. Their friend is alive, but he doesn’t know them. He has no ties to them, their lives and their previous adventures together. Nassandrial’s threat looms. It wouldn’t be right to ask him to join a fight he doesn’t remember having a stake in. He doesn’t know us anymore. He must be free to follow his own path, as painful as it is to the Ashen Company to let him go.
Cade can help us, after all. He can help us say goodbye.
The party moves outside. Cade Plant Growths the nearby park. Null asks Cade if he would rest with us one last time - He agrees. He feels safe with these people. Cade enters his sentry’s rest and everyone settles down for the evening. Lotty leans against Cade. Silas plays his flute as everyone drifts off, comforted by the presence of their friend.
In the night, Cade awakes to faraway voices calling out for help. He must go to them. Lotty catches up to him as he moves to leave. Lotty and Cade have a tender goodbye as Lotty hands him a small mechanical toy to remember her by. It plays music - Lotty’s mother's favourite song accompanied with Silas’s flute. Cade then turns into an owl and takes off towards Palirano, towards the voices who need help.
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Silas, Berrik, Null and Flynn awake the next morning to find Lotty in the midst of busywork. Cade is gone - we have to go. We have to move on this dragon problem before she finds Cade. Berrik grabs some of the flowers from Cade’s Plant Growth and tucks them into his book before teleporting us back to Sierrona. There is no one at Remmi’s, so the party heads straight home. Back at the villa, Lotty excuses herself to Cade’s room. She has a small breakdown and a good cry, grieving the second loss of her closest friend. Downstairs, the rest of the Ashen Company work through their feelings by tending to Cade’s garden, weeding and making space for life to grow anew.
The Ashen Company would never forget Cade and the impact he had on their lives. Even years later, they would still hear the rumours from all over Altisha of the strange robot man who lived to help others. These stories comforted them through the darkest of times - Cade was still out there, doing good. As much as his absence pained them, he was alive and that was enough.