"I will never help you."
"Flash! Woof! Zap! Slash!"
Ellis and Ava show up on the Cursed Caldera to guide the heroes, and tells them of a magic tree where the mystery healer cured Ava's missing leg. Although Rayla is skeptical, the group ventures up the Cursed Caldera. While the journey is relatively easy at first, at higher altitudes Ellis warns of monsters. They are quickly besieged by a giant worm that separates them — Ezran and Rayla wind up a tree, while Ellis, Ava, and Callum end up on a rock structure. When they regroup some time later, they have an easier time defeating it due to renewed confidence in their abilities.
Back at the castle, Viren tries to get Runaan tell him about the mirror. When Runaan continues to refuse, Viren traps Runaan in what appears to be a coin and emerges from the dungeon visibly corrupted by dark magic.
Tropes:
- Alien Blood: The worm bleeds orange blood when Rayla slashes it.
- And I Must Scream: When Runaan won't tell Viren what a magic mirror does, Viren uses dark magic to trap Runaan inside of a coin. He is implied to have done this before as well.
- Chirping Crickets: The group makes various jokes about how the Cursed Caldera doesn't seem very cursed and that so far the scariest thing they've seen is an angry cricket. Callum's quip, however, of "recognizing the unmistakable topography of Mount Monotonous" gets no response other than the cricket's chirping. A bit later, Bait eats the cricket.
- Death Mountain: The Cursed Caldera is an extinct volcano rising high above its surrounding peaks, dominating the skyline as a looming presence on the horizon. Its sides are crossed by deep ravines, precarious paths and steep cliffs, dotted with dead trees and infested with horrifying monsters. The people who live in the nearby village are terrified of it and won't go anywhere near it, even though a miraculous healer is said to live at the mountain's peak. In truth, the monsters are nothing but illusions conjured up by the peak's resident, who is simply a skilled illusionist rather than a healer.
- Enemy Rising Behind: When the worm monster attacks for the second time, it rises behind the group while they talk about Tempting Fate.
- "Eureka!" Moment: When Rayla realizes that Claudia was actually shouting "Fulminis!", the Draconic word needed to cast the lightning spell, and not "fool" as Callum suspected since he only heard the first syllable.
- Fate Worse than Death: Since Moonshadow assassins like Runaan do not fear death, Viren concludes that the only way to get Runaan to talk would be to present an alternative worse than death.
- Flower Mouth: In combination with Lamprey Mouth. The worm features outer jaw flaps that open to a circular mouth surrounded by sharp teeth.
- Run or Die: Callum's advice to the group when the worm monster attacks.
- Super-Persistent Predator: The worm is very patient to wait for the group to come down from the tree and the rock. Even though Rayla herself points out that they do not have much blood to begin with.
- Tempting Fate: Discussed Trope. Rayla cautions not to be too sure that the worm is gone since Irony is sure to bite them for it. Just as Callum mentions that that's the sort of thing that happens in stories, the worm attacks.
- Travel Montage: The fellowship's Ridiculously Difficult Route up the mountain is covered in key shots.
- Unspoken Plan Guarantee: Subverted by Callum's battle plan. He goes over it in detail onscreen, and while it takes more than one try, it ultimately works just like he said.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Ezran and Ellis give this sort of speech to Rayla and Callum respectively when the group is separated following the worm's attack. Rayla is feeling down about not being decisive at crucial moments; Ezran reassures her about her abilities. Callum says that he's not much of a mage since he relies on the Primal Stone; Ellis tells him that he's the one doing the magic, the stone just happens to be there.
- You Monster!: Runaan calls Viren a monster upon seeing what the latter has planned for him.
- Wham Line: "There is no miracle healer."
- Wizard Classic: How Ellis describes what she expected a mage to be, rather than the youthful, normally dressed Callum.Callum: What were you expecting?Ellis: You know, taller, long robes, wrinklier. Super smart. And maybe like a weird amulet or something?
