Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses substance use, child death, death by suicide, and graphic violence.

Kitay stays on the cliff, and the shamans go to the grotto while her forces engage the Republicans. As they approach, Rin sees preserved, eyeless faces on the wall: the dragon’s collection. Nezha approaches in a sampan, or small boat. Pipaji tries to poison the water, but Nezha heals too fast. He drowns her and Dulin. The Phoenix doesn’t want to fight the Dragon, but Rin forces it to do so.

The Dragon awakens, eating Rin’s remaining troops. Nezha tries to defend against him, but the Dragon easily defeats his shields. The Phoenix retreats after making no headway. The Dragon attacks Rin, but Nezha raises a wall of water to defend her. The Dragon is trying to sink all of Arlong. Nezha tells the Dragon he’ll go with him to be collected if he leaves Arlong alone.

A Hesperian dirigible approaches, shooting Rin with anti-shamanic lightning. Nezha diverts the lightning, saving her again. Rin realizes she has a chance to fire one attack at either Nezha or the dirigible. She chooses to destroy the dirigible. The Dragon retreats.

On the shore, Rin sees Pipaji barely alive.