After moving past the entrance hall and the dray templars, they entered the Banquet Hall, where the atmosphere shifted to one of opulent camaraderie. The expansive dining area was set for grandeur, with long, polished tables adorned with fine silverware and rich velvet tablecloths. Soft murmurs of conversation and the clinking of glasses filled the air as templars dined with their leader. The walls were decorated with elaborate tapestries and banners bearing Dregoth's insignia, while the aroma of sumptuous dishes added to the contrast with the solemnity of the other areas. The presence of the lead priest and his elite elevated the sense of importance and authority in the room. Shank quickly shut the door. 

Shank opened another door in the corridor, revealing a series of modest rooms where the dray servants of Dregoth’s palace resided. The quarters were functional and stark, with simple furnishings and minimal decoration. Each room was sparsely appointed, underscoring the utilitarian nature of the servants' lives. The atmosphere was one of subdued efficiency, with the servants moving with disciplined precision as they carried out their duties.

In the other wing, the group discovered a door. Upon opening it, they entered the Hall of the Dragon King, a formidable chamber dedicated to Dregoth, the undead dragon king. The room was adorned with grand paintings and statues that glorified the dark deity, each piece radiating reverence and awe. At the heart of the hall stood a great black altar, cold and unyielding, with Dregoth’s most sacred relic—a massive, intricately carved dragon skull—resting atop it. The air was thick with ancient power and solemnity, reflecting the fearsome nature of Dregoth’s presence. After a brief inspection, the group chose to leave. 

As they entered the ornate chamber, their gaze was immediately drawn to an imposing, cloaked device at the room's center. Flanking this device were two menacing dragon-like fiends. Their sleek, serpentine bodies were covered in shimmering emerald-green scales that caught the dim light with a sinister gleam. Powerful, bat-like wings, tattered and leathery, extended from their backs. Their elongated tails ended in barbed, venomous stingers, while their draconic heads featured sharp, predatory eyes glowing with malevolence. Razor-sharp teeth lined their mouths, and curved horns swept back from their foreheads. Their claws and talons were wickedly sharp, designed for both tearing and grasping. The creatures exuded an aura of unholy power and sinister intelligence, casting a palpable atmosphere of dread and foreboding over the room. 

The group pulled aside the cloth covering the gate, revealing a grand and ornate mirror. However, the glass did not reflect their own image but instead displayed a scene from an icy, otherworldly realm. The landscape was enshrouded in an eerie whiteness, starkly contrasting the familiar heat and sand. A vast army of horrific creatures—some resembling the foes they had faced in Kragmorta—prepared for battle, accompanied by enormous red-scaled giants with wings.

While Karnos observed, the others attempted to interact with the gate and the array of obsidian orbs neatly stacked on a shelf. One orb glowed with a swirling, mysterious light. After numerous futile attempts, Karnos finally touched the swirling orb and established contact with Gartinon, the fallen captain of Giustenal's guard. Gartinon, who had perished during the city's destruction, revealed that Dregoth had used the gate to summon his spirit into the orb. He guided Karnos on how to use the gate himself.

As Karnos extended his senses, searching for the ethereal, his awareness briefly touched the blazing realm of the elemental plane of fire. In that moment, a sudden flash of movement caught his eye—a juvenile coal drake darted out from the fiery plane, its dark, smoldering scales glinting in the light. It glanced around with sharp, curious eyes before making a quick dash toward Shank. Without hesitation, it coiled itself around his ankles, its warm, leathery body wrapping tightly like a living flame.

Shank, unfazed by the drake’s sudden affection, glanced down and grinned. He let it stay there, seemingly content with his new fiery companion, determined to claim the creature as his pet.

Karnos first located Bracorr's home and sent him back, receiving a gift of Bracorr's essence in gratitude. He then sought Safi in the ethereal plane where souls were kept, but a dark, swirling storm obscured his search—it was the Caller in the Darkness. To retrieve Safi's soul, Karnos would have to brave this looming threat. As he ventured through the gate and found Safi’s soul, Dregoth suddenly appeared, casting a menacing shadow over their mission.

Dregoth unleashed his psionic might, attempting to dominate Passk while hitting Anvar with a disintegrate ray. Meanwhile, Karnos emerged from the portal with Safi's spirit, which was quickly drawn into the obsidian orb held by Fazanna. The undead dragon king's massive tail swung with brutal force, striking Shank and sending him crashing to the ground. Fueled by rage, Shank scrambled to his feet and lashed out at the mirror portal with his sword, though it proved ineffective against the powerful artifact.

Dregoth retaliated by unleashing a devastating ultrablast from his mind, shaking the chamber. Shiv hammered relentlessly at the mirror, causing massive damage, further enraging Dregoth. With the mirror nearly destroyed, Shiv turned his attention to Dregoth, striking at him with the Dragonslayer hammer. In response, Dregoth flexed his enormous wings, whipping up a fierce wind that knocked Shiv, Shank, and Passk to the ground.

Anvar, gravely injured from the disintegration ray, healed himself with a burst of vitality and a potion of greater healing. Fazanna strategically positioned herself, blasting the mirror with a bolt of lightning, only to have the mirror absorb the magical energy. She then attacked with her sword, causing minor damage.

Under Dregoth's domination, Passk attacked Shiv, but Shiv swiftly knocked him unconscious with a backhand blow. Dregoth then cast synaptic static, which Fazanna tried to counter, only to have her spell nullified by Dregoth’s defiling magic. Drawing life from those around him, Dregoth’s psychic attack exploded, dropping Shiv and leaving many of the group confused and weakened. He followed with a deadly swipe at Fazanna, cutting deep with his claws.

Shank, seeing the battle turning dire, grabbed his brother's hammer. He baited and switched positions with Fazanna before striking the mirror portal with all his might, shattering it into countless pieces. The air reverberated with arcane energy as Dregoth roared in fury, but before they could react, they felt themselves being sucked into the collapsing mirror.

Shank managed to grab hold of Shiv just as they were all pulled into a void-like limbo. In this strange space, they could not see or feel anything—only their voices echoed in each other’s minds, distorted by magic. Then, through the darkness, they heard a strong, clear sound: the voice of Gidewei singing. His song called to them, guiding them back. They awoke on the deck of Passk’s silt skimmer, but Passk was missing. As they came to consciousness, they saw Abdaleem and Gidewei standing before them.