Mad Realms, Mad Mages

As we stepped through the "mage" gate (with our clothes and belongings returning to us), we stepped out onto an icy plane, as clear as glass with jagged fissures of ice and snow coring the region. The larger pieces of ice-glass nearest too us seemed to be carved or magically altered; they depict scenes that were from our own history as well as others -- people and creatures existing, fighting, the chronicle of events, etc.
 
We trouped forwards: though (after a while) we spotted the archway far-off in the distance, a stone bridge sat between us and the next portal. On the bridge, a person could be seen investigating something.
 
Jarek broke off a piece of ice to test, taking a lick -- "Normally, I like cold water" -- but this was different (dry) ice, and he had to rip off part of his tongue as well.
 
Bee got the attention of the person on the bridge, who turned to look as we approached. It took until we were closer to see that it was a warforgd. He mentioned the All-Seeing Eye, which he wanted "for the Heart of Ma'ar, to bring back my lord, Vikaz." This, naturally, set Tiberius and Jarek on edge, who bristled at the words.
 

An enemy of my enemy

The warforged was visibly frustrated when Sera mentioned her spider-patron, naming the Old One as a demigod of sorts.
 
He spoke of how furthering Vikaz's mission would help Saldar, but the cleric and the paladin would have none of that. Jarek raised his holy symbol, and the party jumped to action.
 
Jarek traded holy fire and holy fire with the warforged mage; his did damage, but the mage's took Jarek out. The (un)holy light of Vikaz destroyed his arm and face.
 
"You don't get to go to Saldar yet!" Bee shouted, casting a healing word to bring her brother back.
 
Sera was the one to finish off the warforged, who still (doth) protested:
"We.... did not... have to fight....".
 
Bee retrieved the All-Seeing Eye, and we made camp. Sera tried to retrieve the warforged's glaive, but it was too heavy. Milo tried, but some magic sapped him of his strength. Against his better judgement, Jarek offered to pick up the glaive. He prayed and prayed, and the glaive felt good.
 

A lagoon

After rested we stepped through the portal, to a lagoon. Beautiful foliage and hills surrounded, and the water shimmered in the sunlight. In the pool, a humanoid sat bathing with shimmering skin. It knew us, and our names -- calling to Jarek, the cleric almost lost it.
 
Basically, each of us stepped into the lagoon. The waters healed us, and the being laid out a hand to Jarek, and removed his disfigurement.
 
Saldar gave us each hope; notably, He described His brother Vikaz as "mislead". It was confirmed that we were still in Eustacious, though now at the "Spring of Hate" -- which reveals that which one hates the most.
 
Jarek sees his sister, Beeatrice.
Tiberius sees monsters, creatures, and abominations that are responsible for the deaths he's seen.
Sera sees her parents, who abandoned her.
Milo first sees his mother, who deserted him; but after a moment Saldar looms over her shoulder.
 
We took much time at the pool, before finding the nearby archway and walking through.
 

Back at the beginning

The archway took us back to the first realm, with the seaside and exploding volcano. The old portal was there, but also a new, second gate. We strode through, to finally return to the cave in the pass. Before, this was where we met the Old One; it is gone now, and we see only their bones and webbing.
 
Loud rumbling echoed around us, and the only way we could see out was a fissure in the rock. Bee wild shaped into a giant badger, and together we dug/climbed upwards towards the exit. We got close, and Sera had to jump upwards to grab the ledge in question -- to throw a rope down and lead everyone else up to the exit. We all got up onto the ledge to see Tired of the Long Road -- he had pulled Sera up by the hand.
 
Bee got caught in falling debris, and as the rest of us scrambled to safety, Bee was caught in the cavern.
 
We looked on in panic, but were met with more opposition: outside, Regis, Monty, and others stood to "greet" us. Clad in black robes and strange armor, we realized they had been the shadowy group that attacked us previously (on the lake).
 
In that moment, Tired of the Long Road changed as well -- shifting and collapsing into a humanoid form.