Got it.

That's everyone but you, priest. You all should be safe now.

Any idea how Merric happened to get enough of this... organic... thing... to be immune?

Do I know for sure? No. Is it fortunate, for all of us? Extremely.

The only possible idea I have is that one of the only foods this organic compound shows up in is ryoto sauce.

That's only really in Ionian couisine. Only Ion grows the fruit that serves as its base.

Which may be a purposeful choice as to what acts as a catalyst to neutralize it.

Very few lagre would be adding it to their food. Especially the fire tribe on the run, nowhere near Ion.

It's something common enough that could be obtained without questions, so they could immunize the members of the air army, while making it nearly impossible the escaping fire tribe would have it on their own.

I've been eating that my entire life, so it's quite possible I'm already immune to begin with. I'll have the navy bring a supply for their own meals, so we can make sure anyone on the operation will be immune.

You havin' a bunch of ryoto sauce, huh?

I guess so!

We still don't know how they manufactured the choke to begin with. There wasn't any records of it left over here in Felishon.

Everyone interrogated after the air forces in the city stood down had no idea. The weapons with the biological agent weren't even here. It had to have been from someone outside, who Cryostoria knew.

And it isn't likely the creator would be with the air army remnants at the nexus, either. They've probably gone deep into hiding when Cryostoria fell.

We're still going to study the choke, to hopefully get insight into its manufacture and other ways to possibly counter it. If they made one bioweapon like this, it's possible they could make another.

It's very important we figure out a more generic way to deal with a weapon like this, rather than accidentally stumbling into a key to unlocking it. If one country did this, another could as well.

I'm confident Ion will still help provide any advanced resources you need. Bioweapons are banned by treaties, but I absolutely share your opinion on a more permanent cure method.

Thank you for your research into this, doctor! We should have smooth sailing to retake the fire nexus for the tribe.

If there's nothing else, we should begin to go to meet up with the Ionian Navy for sailing to the Nexus.

You have the jewel, and you're as safe as I can make you from their weapons.

May the ancestors guide your path to safety. All of you.