Awakening stones across Aeris are being recalled for a month, stripping Andy of outside support and forcing him to rely on a rare drakenhorn krill essence to summon a dragon. Ms. Barrios helps Andy but the essence costs one million scales. Karl, nursing a fresh injury, quietly lends money and then accepts an expensive respec scroll as payment when they bargain at the shop. They complete the trade and hand over the essence. With the ingredient secured Andy declares, "I can finally summon a dragon!" but losing the respec scroll and the month-long stone recall leave his immediate future unresolved.