At this point, Roger thought some diplomacy might help lower the number of people they had to fight. “See how your leader abandons you? Join us and you’ll be safe,” the skeleton told the gnome warriors. Some of them were hesitant to do so, but after muttering for a few moments they decided to at least step back from where they had been fighting and let Scer take on the warriors that had been decimating their ranks.

Meanwhile, Rainbow started glowing a bright green color. The process had been unexpected for the rablin, but Mason just smiled. “Go. Finish the spell,” Treling told the little green creature.  Rainbow decided to do just that, running over to where Darmae was to begin doing so.

“NO!” Scer exclaimed, shooting a fireball from his mouth at where Rainbow went. But it was too late; the rablin sank inside the tree similar to how the gnome had done so earlier. From the spot where Rainbow went, the green glow started expanding, eliminating Scer’s rot and replacing it with a healthy, natural and restored Great Oak in its place.

“THIS CAN’T BE! AFTER TWENTY YEARS, MY EFFORTS WILL NOT BE WASTED!” the dark being ranted. But anything he did now would indeed be a waste; glowing green roots encircled the shadowy serpent, trapping it in the powerful tendrils despite Scer’s best efforts to break free. The roots even seemed to drain the shadowy snake into them, reducing the powerful beast to a blind old gnome once again. His mighty rings even broke from the power of the spell, disintegrating into a fine black powder. Following this, the roots finished grabbing and surrounding the gnome’s body into a series of natural chains that kept the evil being suspended and trapped in the air, ending his threat to everyone else in the room. Once this happened, a green pulse emanated from the leaves and branches of the Great Oak, soaring across Thorn City brightly like a ripple on a lake for all to see.

“I told you you’d be safe. Now go home, I’m sure that display will attract people less friendly than we are,” Roger told the gnomes. And for the second time in one day, the skeleton had convinced armed gnomes to run off scared; the thought of this gave the doctor reason for a slight chuckle.

Moments after they ran, Rainbow rose from where he had sunk previously; he was a little disoriented, but otherwise fine. At the sight of his rablin friend reemerging, Caleb ran over to him and gave him a hug. “You did it!” Rainbow smiled as the boy embraced him, returning the hug as best he could, considering his size. “Nah, we did it,” he responded. At that moment, all the rablin could think about was the elder John Nieve; wherever he was, Rainbow hoped the Captain was proud of him today.

Roger looked over at John Junior; he really wasn’t in the best of shape, to say the least. He grabbed some bandages from his supplies and started cleaning and treating the wound on his side. Unfortunately, he’d have to wait until he was home to treat whatever the potions were doing; the doctor would have to remember to ask Hazel for a list of what she made and what the ingredients were.

Sara was looking in the same direction out of concern; she was happy Caleb was okay, but she had to wonder if this time Junior had bitten off more than he could chew. For all their differences, the thought of him dying was not something she wanted to happen, so he needed Roger’s help now. “We should get home,” Sara stated simply. If he died to this, she’d never forgive that Hazel woman for making all those potions.

“Not without Byures,” Caleb responded with a shake of his head. Now that it wasn’t a life or death choice to stay, the boy intended on being there for his friend.

“He’ll be alright,” Mason, still weak from his battle, responded, “you have my word that Byures will walk out of here a free man.” He meant it; this alligatorman, despite being an enemy hours earlier, had in fact helped save them all. That debt would be repaid.

“You need rest, Caleb,” Rainbow added, “I’ll stay here with, uh, the red-haired guy to be sure he’s okay, and meet you at Sara’s place later.”

A little reluctantly, Caleb nodded. “Here, take this just in case” he said, giving Rainbow the poisoned dagger. The rablin took it, smiling. “Good job, Caleb. You helped a lot of people today. Get going so John can get some help too.”

“Yeah, will do” the boy replied as he joined Roger, Sara and John Jr. in heading back to the Nieve household.