A bit of extra nighttime adventuring? Sounds great.

You tell Justice that you will escort the expedition team at once if she'll have you.

Justice: "I figured you'd offer. And as far as I'm concerned, you've proven yourself more than capable of handling nightcrawlers. But after a day like today, are you sure you don't need to rest? I know I do."

You explain to Justice that earth ponies such as yourself are known for their exceptional stamina. You can rest later, when the Undercity is safe.

Justice: "Fair enough, but either way, I'm not sending a single pony out to defend a whole team. See if you can't get at least one of your friends to join you, then meet me at the northern checkpoint. And don't forget to dress accordingly; the northern wind can get vicious at night."

You nod, before promptly exiting Justice's residence, and hurrying back to your own.

When you arrive at your residence, you find your party sitting at the dining table, seemingly waiting for your return. The three of them greet you as you enter — Moonflower visibly struggling to stay awake —, and ask you how things went. You take a moment to update them on the situation.

Smoke: "So you need someone to beat up some monsters? I'm game."

Moonflower: "Ooh! I… (yawn)… I wanna come too!"

Apple Basket: "Uh, I dunno, Moonflower. You look plum tuckered out."

You concur, and suggest that Apple Basket stay here with Moonflower, while you and Smoke join the expedition team. Having such a powerful ally by your side should be more than enough to keep most dangers at bay.

Apple Basket: "Yeah, that ought'a be the right call. You two be careful out there, alright?"

You nod, and promise to be back by morning. After wishing the two younger ponies a good night, you begin to put on your equipment, and get ready for adventure.

Smoke: "Hey, do I get any cool gear?"

Considering that your best weapon against the nightcrawlers seems to be your Dispel Strike ability, you decide to lend your shortsword to your dragon friend, and to clip combat horseshoes onto your front hooves for defense.

You give Magic Sword Scabbard to Smoke, and equip 2 Brass Horseshoes, Charcoal Coat, Charcoal Ushanka, 2 Mirror Shin Guards, Tan Muffler, and Tempered Simple Breastplate.

Smoke: "Sweet."

Once fully equipped, you and Smoke head out into the streets, then west to the northern checkpoint. On the way there, you begin to feel a hint of sleepiness creeping in, but quickly shake it off.

You find Justice waiting for you at the checkpoint, along with four other unicorns, each dressed in layered garments, and carrying large, framed saddlebags. They all greet you with a nod, some stealing curious glances at the black-scaled creature behind you.

Justice: "And there's your escort. I trust everything's in order?"

You let Justice know that you are good to go.

Justice: "Perfect. We don't have much time, so I'll make this brief. The emergency exit back here will drop you off somewhere northwest of Serpent's Bite. Your mission is to go there, and keep the team safe while they prospect for, gather, and return with as much diamagicite as they can carry.

They'll follow your lead, and I defer to your expertise in choosing the best path to and from the objective. If you get in trouble, either send someone back here, or to the nearest main road. Any questions? Good. Then off you go. And good luck out there."

After spending what feels like an eternity walking through yet another impossibly long stone tunnel, you emerge out of a hidden door and into a small grove. A frigid wind blows across shivering fields of grass, dimly lit by both the clouded waxing moon, and the ever mysterious red glow on the horizon.

• To the east, thick woodlands border steep cliffsides, shading the ground in pitch blackness. Travelling under the cover of the pine trees would allow you to remain hidden, but it would also take longer to reach your destination.

• To the southeast, plains extend far out into the darkness of night, providing relatively flat fields to run across. Travelling out in the open would allow you to reach your destination faster, but it would also make you visible from afar.

• To the south, tall cliffs form a giant stairway to the distant main roads.