Due in part to TRENT'S BRAVERY and your ability to sprint, you have acquired the APEX YELLOW KEYCARD.

>> Jimmy: GO BACK AND SAVE TRENT! OH MY GOD GO CHECK IF EPONA IS OKAY!
>> Jimmy: go back to see if Trent was caught in the explosion.
>> Check ground zero cavern.

You just barely missed being enveloped in the explosion that took place, which reached far from its epicenter of BURAM CASTLE. Sadly, you are 100% certain that TRENT was caught in the blast, as was EPONA...

A large purple cylindrical explosion arose from the CASTLE when the LIGHTNING ROD was struck. When it vanished, everything within the EXPLOSION appears to have been disintegrated along with it. The CASTLE, the MOAT, and much of the surrounding area (even below ground) is all entirely gone.

>> Jimmy: Mourn loss of human companion.
>> Jimmy: Mourn loss of horse companion.

You are barely able to hold back the sobs that come forth due to losing both TRENT and EPONA in a single moment. Why did he have to be so heroic and force you to leave the EXPLOSION'S RADIUS? Why did EPONA's inability to move of her own accord become her downfall? Why are you the only one left? WHYYYYYYYY?

You are deeply saddened and mourn the loss of your friends.

>> Swear for revenge, then go kick some Apex butt.
>> Jimmy: Construct beautiful monument to fallen comrade

Once all of this is over and you have properly stopped APEX from doing whatever the heck it is they're apparently doing, you plan to return to this spot and construct a beautiful monument in memory of TRENT and EPONA. As it is right now, you don't have the items or the skills to properly do such a STATUE justice. You swear it!

>> Write a poem dedicated to Trent

Trent Eastream was my best friend's name,
Stopping Apex was his game.
He was, for sure, a friend indeed,
Helping all who were in need.
Using his two focused eyes,
He saw right through Apex lies.
And due to them, he now is lost,
I'll avenge him at any cost!

...Yeah, it kind of shows that you made that up off the top of your head. If there's ever a FUNERAL SERVICE for TRENT, you've already decided to not read that poem.

>> Thank Magic 8 Ball for the solid advice.

>> Contemplate how to return to the red door to reach the yellow door within the rainbow room

It should be easy enough. You recall what you know:

From the 13TH FLOOR of the APEX MICROCHIPS BUILDING are six doors. The RED DOOR lead to the mountaintop far to the south of BURAM VILLAGE. Instead of LOG-ROLLING on a ROCK down the mountainside, you had tied a ROPE to it and repelled down the CLIFF that way, so it should be a simple matter to return the same way you came.

Although you never went through it yourself, it seems fairly clear that the ORANGE DOOR led to the TOWER just outside BURAM CASTLE, which has since been obliterated in the JAITIA EXPLOSION.

You have no idea where the YELLOW DOOR leads, but you do have the KEYCARD for it.

>> Check newly-formed pipe-waterfall thing

It looks like there was some sort of small CAVERN much further down underground, even below the MOAT. WATER was gushing out of it at first, but now the flow is starting to slow down, sort of like there was a set amount of WATER in there to begin with, and it's almost all been poured out.

Although the EXPLOSION left a near-vertical CLIFF WALL, you figure you could easily climb down to the CAVERN if you really wanted to.

>> Jaron: Engage in highly indulgent self-insertion into story.

What?

Oh hell no. This is always such a terrible idea. Leave me alone.

Who's taking that picture? I'm moving away from here before the shutter goes off.