Carl reflects on how the deception worked: Katia used shapeshifting to become the missing back seat of the Royal Chariot, Wynne’s apparent body, and a fake Henrik, allowing Leon to believe Carl and Donut were delivering Wynne for treatment and negotiation. Once aboard the gnome balloon Vahana with Leon, sniper Crixus, and pilot Hicks, Carl watches the controls, counts down to the bombardment, and asks questions to gather intelligence. Crixus explains that the gnomes mean to destroy the last settlement of Anser and then hunt the Mad Dune Mage, and he reveals that the mage holds only one third of an important artifact.

When the balloon reaches the right height, Carl signals the team below. Langley and the others launch missiles that destroy the escort planes, and Carl uses smoke for cover while Donut casts Hole through the basket floor. Because of that spell, Crixus, Hicks, and Leon drop out of the balloon; when Leon briefly catches the edge, Donut knocks him loose with a magical paw. With the escorts gone, Carl, Donut, and Katia keep fighting off the remaining balloons while racing against the bombing timer.

The party damages one pursuing balloon with fire and kills a sniper on another, but the real target is the Wasteland ahead. Carl takes the Vahana’s controls, climbs higher, and uses a farseer to confirm that gnomes are manually arming bombs beneath the dreadnought. Donut sends clockwork Mongos into one balloon’s basket, causing mass carnage, but the Wasteland finally notices the hijacking and turns a huge gun battery on them. Carl fires missiles at the airship; the first volley is destroyed by incoming projectiles, revealing the battery shoots living creatures, so Carl quickly launches a second volley at the battery and several bombs.

As the Wasteland fires again, Carl orders everyone to jump from the shredded balloon. Moments later, the northern sky erupts in a massive explosion from Carl’s strike, and the three crawlers fall toward the ground. Following the plan, they drink Dolores Doesn’t Splat during the fall, which accelerates them and makes them survive impact by smashing into the sand and bouncing five times like meteors. Carl realizes he has crashed through the necropolis roof and come to rest on the quadrant barrier, while the quest completes and confirms they saved Hump Town from the bombardment.

After regrouping, Carl, Donut, and Katia see that Hump Town has taken damage from falling debris but still stands. Through the clearing smoke, Carl spots that the Wasteland has been stripped down to a small house-like core hanging from a single balloon; inside are Commandant Kane and a child, apparently his daughter. Instead of destroying it immediately, Carl concludes that Kane’s pocket watch, Henrik’s watch, and a third watch held by the Mad Dune Mage may combine into the Gate of the Feral Gods, so he sets a new goal of taking all three pieces. Donut and Carl gain major experience from the slaughter, and Zev contacts them again only as their social media manager, urging them to mind audience reactions.