The battle continues, although the cultists and guards seem less than enthusiastic for fighting. Apparently they were expecting an ambush more than a battle, and perhaps a little more assistance. They try to fall back, but are taking quite a beating when two bugbears appear, better late than never. But even they are no match for the adventurers, and after the bugbears are killed the remaining cultists and guards scatter into the woods.

One of the bugbears managed to deal a critical blow to Elfo, so he lies dead on the forest floor, but Karat is able to quickly revive him with a healing spell.

Hooflepoof approaches the guard who is still tied to the tree. The guard recognizes him immediately. "Salbon!" he says.

"Random guard!" answers Hooflepoof sarcastically. "Why do you want to kill me?"

"We are on order to eliminate all enemies of Tiamat without mercy."

"Who sent you?"

"We answer to Roderick, under command of Rezmir."

"Who is Tiamat?"

"The Dragon Goddess, of course!"

"... and are you trying to raise Tiamat?"

"I think I've said enough already."

"If you don't tell me, you will die!" threatens Hooflepoof.

"Life, death. Praise Tiamat! The actions of the gods are beyond our understanding," says the guard, and bows his head as if to give up his fate. With one swipe, Hooflepoof lops his head off.

Elbolin heads over to where Noohar and Selvek are still hiding, with Gourbain and Nars, on the other side of the road. He tells them that the confrontation is over, and that everybody is safe, and they all head back to the tents.

Before going back into his tent, Elbolin wonders whether Leosin is still around. "Leosin! Leosin!" he calls into the woods, in sort of a stage-whisper that would be enough to hear if he were relatively close by, but not enough for the other camps, of the other carts, to hear. He gets no answer, and goes into his tent, but a few minutes later Leosin shows up.

He explains that he had escorted Carlon Amoffel north to "the farm", and then traveled back on the Trade Way until he encountered the caravan, but remained hidden to learn what he could about the cultists. He had been hiding around their fire when he heard them planning the attack on "Salbon", whom they had recognized from Greenest. They were also in disguise as caravan guards, and he heard them discussing wearing cultist uniforms as to not blow their cover, so he didn't think they would attack if they thought the adventurers were awake and alert - hence his ruse about greeting them in the night. He also heard that some bugbears were arriving from somewhere to come and help them, but they were either late, or weren't arriving at all. This was quite possibly the last night before arriving at Waterdeep, so the cultists felt like they had no more time to lose.

"I'm going back into hiding," he says. "I'm still trying to nail down which ones are the cultists' wagons, and want to find out all we can before arriving in Waterdeep. I'll meet you guys again when we get there."

With that, he slips back into the darkness.