The Maximals take Morynth back to their ship, and put her in the R-chamber, where they intend to keep her, having no assurance otherwise that she won't simply escape. When her repairs are complete, they question her, but she is fairly uncooperative. She remarks that she wants the Maximals to retrieve the items in her underground lab, which they bypassed before, so that they don't fall into the hands of this planet's native life. This seems like a job for the adventuring party, so the Maximals pass along the quest, and the party takes the bait. Meanwhile, Scythe goes through the database he downloaded from Mornyth's computer. He discovers a wealth of dark information, strange rituals, and frightening discoveries in Morynth's store, as well as a location map where the other Predacons may be found.
The adventurers travel back into Morynth's stronghold, fight the monsters within, and return after a day with the haul: potions, scrolls, and other arcane and technological equipment from the Plague Goddess' hoarde. When they do return, they are injured: Feldspar is out of prayer energy, and Kithas has been knocked unconscious and is being borne on Brash's back. They collapse in their camp in the Maximals' hold, and offer up the "treasure" they've retrieved. Scythe, having read Morynth's notes, is the most interested in the equipment, so he has Hulk pick up the heavy bags. Unfortunately, Hulk's clumsy hands grab too tightly, breaking a bottle full of acid. When he reacts by dropping the bag, several of the potions inside shatter...including a jar filled with one of Morynth's experiments: the vampiric mist. The mist has no interest in attacking the Maximals, so it dives upon the nearest prone and blood-filled target: Kithas the elf. Scythe calls for help, and Paladyne arrives. Brash, still healthy, discovers that his sword does no damage to the mist, so Paladyne tries a different strategy: he inhales it. As he "holds" the mist down, Scythe rushes for the ship's vacuum system, and sucks the mist inside just before its tendrils manage to entirely drain the unconscious elf.
Having no other place to hold Morynth, the Maximals leave her in the R-chamber temporarily. They question her, and Paladyne asks her for her original name: it is Bloodkiss, although it takes her a moment to recall it as she has not used it in a long time. She tells the Maximals that her "goddess" powers are in fact real, and, in some cases, unstable; she can no longer control when creatures rise from the dead in her presence. She warns the Maximals that the Plague Knights who frequent her temple will hunt the Maximals down if they discover their queen is missing. The Maximals refuse to let her out of the R-chamber, however. They make ready to continue on to the east, to rescue the countess' lady in waiting in whatever prison she may be trapped.