Tarin died beneath the branches of the first level.
His party had entered Fey Nights for an ordinary attempt. They had cleared the foggy paths before, but none of them had defeated every possible guardian, and a different route promised better awareness training than repeating familiar choices.
The decision carried them into a grove held by red caps and quicklings.
The fight remained manageable until the quicklings drew the party's attention away from the roots. Red caps rose from shallow pits behind them, separating Tarin from the healer. He forced a path back long enough for the healer and two others to reach higher ground. The final red cap caught him before he could follow.
His body vanished from the grove.
The rest of the party continued the attempt with four members while Sanctuary's hospital received Tarin's restored body. An attendant found him breathing beneath a clean blanket with no wound remaining from the red cap's blade.
He did not awaken.
