Episode 4: Gladeston, Part 2

Along the way searching for the last two horses, they once again pick up the Jun and Francis trail, leading them to the two teenagers, who have been living out in the forest after getting lost. Jun, unhappy with her controlling parents, wishes to remain in the forest a while longer, and gives them her necklace to prove to her mother that she was found so the party can get compensation for their time.

They follow the tracks of the last two horses until the tracks show what looks like the horses being rustled up by bandits. They abandon the search and return to Yannick, informing him the last two horses have been lost.

In town, a middle-aged man approaches with a note from his mother, Ivana at the Crimson Drum. The note has the address of the man who sold her and her late husband the inn, and he explains that she forgot to give this to them and she had said it might be useful to them if they are interested in the ghosts and history of the inn.

The party returns to the hut, where Milla is waiting for them. They decide to try to activate the fire orb, but do not want to do it in town as they're unsure how powerful it is. All four leave town to find a clearing where they can perform the test safely.

On their way, they are ambushed by bandits – the same bandits that stole Ridley's gold. The bandit captain, Jeremy Whitehawk, explains that after robbing Ridley, he wondered who on earth would walk around with 5,000 gold pieces... and that carrying such an amount would indicate a certain status. He intends to hold Ridley hostage to get more gold out of his obviously wealthy family. Ridley manages to break out of Jeremy's grip and they fight. Ridley falls unconscious at Jeremy's hands but is healed, and Milla is injured. After a hard battle the party manages to gain the upper hand, and Jeremy and his right-hand man - nicknamed Magic Johnson by the party due to being a magic user - escape on horseback.

Kika immediately rounds on Ridley and demands to know his identity, as it is clearly putting everyone in danger. Ridley confesses that he is the heir to the Elderstone estate and fortune (like a less shitty fantasy Walmart), and explains that he ran away to escape his responsibilities and forge his own path. Kika reluctantly agrees to let him travel with them until they reach the next town.

They test the fire orb, which fires a ray of concentrated fire energy in a straight line when activated. Fan begs Ridley to shoot her with it as some sort of strange penance for failing to stop Jeremy and Magic Johnson from escaping, but he fires it into the sky.

As they return to town, Faelan is waiting for them. The council has a decision, but it will have to wait until the next day, as it is now evening. The tired and – in a few cases, especially Ridley – injured party tends to their wounds and rests overnight.